Translation commentary on Proverbs 10:5

Verse 5 contrasts two kinds of sons, as in verse 1. Some take this to mean that verses 1-5 are a unit. There is furthermore a sense relation between verses 4 and 5: the first line of verse 5 relates to the idea of the second line of verse 4, and the second line of verse 5 repeats the idea expressed in the first line of verse 4. The two lines of this verse have the same form and structure in the Hebrew text:

Gathering in summer, son thoughtful,
sleeping in harvest, son shameful.

Good News Translation apparently does not consider “son” here to refer to the son or “child” in verse 1, as it speaks here of “A sensible person. . ..”

“A son who gathers in summer is prudent”: “Gathers” means to harvest crops, to gather in the produce from the fields. “Summer” is the season of the year when crops become ripe for harvesting. For “gathers” and “summer” see 6.8. “Prudent” means to be wise, intelligent, or successful. If “son” is kept in the translation, we may say, for example, “A wise son gathers crops [from his garden] in the summer” or “A wise son gathers crops when they are ripe.”

“But a son who sleeps in harvest brings shame”: In this line “sleeping” during the time of “harvest” parallels and contrasts with “gathering” in “summer”, that is, at harvest time. “Brings shame” is a consequence of sleeping when you should be working. The “shame” is the disgrace the son causes his family, if the thought is interpreted in the context of verse 1 where a son is responsible to act wisely within the family setting. In some languages to “bring shame” on someone is to cause them to lower their eyes or to cause them to turn away their faces.

The thought of this saying is that a thoughtful son helps his family harvest the summer crops, but a lazy son who sleeps when others are working brings disgrace on his family. We may translate more directly by saying, for example, “If you are wise you will harvest when the crops are ripe, but if you sleep at harvest time, you will be a disgrace.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

complete verse (Proverbs 10:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 10:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “Wise is a person who collects food during harvest time,
    but/and he who sleeps during the harvest brings shame to people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “People who have insight
    gather grain at harvest time.
    Those who sleep at harvest time
    will be shamed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The-(one-who) gathers food during harvest-season is a wise man, but the-(one-who) only keeps-on sleeping is shameful.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The one who is industrious to harvest at harvest-season is thinking/reflective, but the one who stays-asleep, it is shameful.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Those who are wise, harvest the crops when they are ripe;
    it is shameful/disgraceful to sleep and not work during harvest time.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 10:5

10:5

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

5a
He who gathers in summer is a wise son,

5b but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

This proverb contrasts the actions of a wise son and a disgraceful son during the time when people need to harvest the crops.