wisdom

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, Latin, and Greek that is translated as “wisdom” in English is rendered in various ways:

  • Amganad Ifugao / Tabasco Chontal: “(big) mind”
  • Bulu / Yamba: “heart-thinking”
  • Tae’: “cleverness of heart” (source for this and all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Palauan: “bright spirit (innermost)” (source: Bratcher / Hatton)
  • Ixcatlán Mazatec: “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom)
  • Noongar: dwangka-boola, lit. “ear much” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018 — see also remember)
  • Kwere “to know how to live well” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Dobel: “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes)
  • Gbaya: iŋa-mgbara-mɔ or “knowing-about-things” (note that in comparison to that, “knowledge” is translated as iŋa-mɔ or “knowing things”) (source: Philip Noss in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 114ff. )
  • Chichewa: nzeru, meaning both “knowledge” and “wisdom” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Uma: “clearness” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Kako: “heart thinking” (source: Reyburn 2002, p. 190)

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a hand gesture referring to God to indicate a human quality to communicate that wisdom does not originate from man but is linked to and connected with the fear of God (source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group):


“Wisdom” in Hungarian Sign Language (source )

See also wisdom (Proverbs) and knowledge.

shut mouth / silence

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “shut mouth” or “silence” or similar in English is translated in the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version with a historical Chinese idiom: wú suǒ bù néng (閉口無言 / 闭口无言) or “silence (lit. “shut mouth, no word”).” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)

The Protestant Union Version also uses this idiom, but only in Job 5:16 and Psalm 8:2.

See also silence (verb).

Translation commentary on Sirach 4:23

Do not refrain from speaking at the crucial time: Instead of at the crucial time, the Greek manuscripts here have “at a time of salvation” (see the Revised Standard Version footnote). This is almost surely an error for “in time of need,” a phrase that occurs three more times in this book, at 8.9; 29.2 and 40.7. (The Greek word for “salvation,” when abbreviated as it often was in Greek manuscripts, closely resembles the word for “need.”) The writer is continuing to urge his readers not to let false modesty keep them from speaking out when there is a need for it; compare 4.9, and Pro 15.23; Eccl 3.7. Good News Translation provides a good model, as does its footnote (“safety” is another way of translating the Greek word that Revised Standard Version renders “salvation” in its footnote). Contemporary English Version is also helpful with “If you can make things right by speaking up, then do so.”

And do not hide your wisdom: This continues the line of thought of the previous line. There is no point in being wise if it is not going to do anyone any good. Modesty is a good quality, but don’t be so modest that you don’t offer your opinion when it will be helpful. This is a textually difficult line, and most Greek manuscripts omit it. We suggest including it, however, with a footnote such as found in Good News Translation, explaining that this is the Hebrew reading. Most other Greek manuscripts read “and do not hide your wisdom for beauty,” which Good News Translation bravely interprets as “Don’t hide your wisdom for the sake of appearances.” We strongly suggest omitting this complication, and limiting the footnote to “Hebrew Don’t hide your wisdom; most Greek manuscripts do not have these words.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Sirach. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.