If the righteous are repaid on earth . . .

For “If the righteous are repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!” see 1 Peter 4:18.

Note that this quote in the New Testament is not taken from the Hebrew Bible but from the Greek Septuagint (LXX) which translates into English as “If the righteous is scarcely saved, where will the impious and the sinner appear.” (Translation by NETS — for the Greek version see the title’s tooltip)

sin

The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated as “sin” in English has a wide variety of translations.

The Greek ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō) carries the original verbatim meaning of “miss the mark” and likewise, many translations contain the “connotation of moral responsibility.”

  • Loma: “leaving the road” (which “implies a definite standard, the transgression of which is sin”)
  • Navajo (Dinė): “that which is off to the side” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Toraja-Sa’dan: kasalan, originally meaning “transgression of a religious or moral rule” and in the context of the Bible “transgression of God’s commandments” (source: H. van der Veen in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 21ff. )
  • Kaingang: “break God’s word”
  • Bariai: “bad behavior” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Sandawe: “miss the mark” (like the original meaning of the Greek term) (source for this and above: Ursula Wiesemann in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 36ff., 43)

In Shipibo-Conibo the term is hocha. Nida (1952, p. 149) tells the story of its choosing: “In some instances a native expression for sin includes many connotations, and its full meaning must be completely understood before one ever attempts to use it. This was true, for example, of the term hocha first proposed by Shipibo-Conibo natives as an equivalent for ‘sin.’ The term seemed quite all right until one day the translator heard a girl say after having broken a little pottery jar that she was guilty of ‘hocha.’ Breaking such a little jar scarcely seemed to be sin. However, the Shipibos insisted that hocha was really sin, and they explained more fully the meaning of the word. It could be used of breaking a jar, but only if the jar belonged to someone else. Hocha was nothing more nor less than destroying the possessions of another, but the meaning did not stop with purely material possessions. In their belief God owns the world and all that is in it. Anyone who destroys the work and plan of God is guilty of hocha. Hence the murderer is of all men most guilty of hocha, for he has destroyed God’s most important possession in the world, namely, man. Any destructive and malevolent spirit is hocha, for it is antagonistic and harmful to God’s creation. Rather than being a feeble word for some accidental event, this word for sin turned out to be exceedingly rich in meaning and laid a foundation for the full presentation of the redemptive act of God.”

In Warao it is translated as “bad obojona.” Obojona is a term that “includes the concepts of consciousness, will, attitude, attention and a few other miscellaneous notions.” (Source: Henry Osborn in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 74ff. ). See other occurrences of Obojona in the Warao New Testament.

Martin Ehrensvärd, one of the translators for the Danish Bibelen 2020, comments on the translation of this term: “We would explain terms, such that e.g. sin often became ‘doing what God does not want’ or ‘breaking God’s law’, ‘letting God down’, ‘disrespecting God’, ‘doing evil’, ‘acting stupidly’, ‘becoming guilty’. Now why couldn’t we just use the word sin? Well, sin in contemporary Danish, outside of the church, is mostly used about things such as delicious but unhealthy foods. Exquisite cakes and chocolates are what a sin is today.” (Source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )

See also sinner.

righteous, righteousness

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The Greek, Hebrew, and Latin terms that are translated in English mostly as “righteous” as an adjective or personified noun or “righteousness” (also as “upright(ness)” and “just(ice)”) are most commonly expressed with concept of “straightness,” though this may be expressed in a number of ways. (Click or tap here to see the details)

Following is a list of (back-) translations of various languages:

  • Bambara, Southern Bobo Madaré, Chokwe (ululi), Amganad Ifugao, Chol, Eastern Maninkakan, Toraja-Sa’dan, Pamona, Batak Toba, Bilua, Tiv: “be straight”
  • Laka: “follow the straight way” or “to straight-straight” (a reduplicated form for emphasis)
  • Sayula Popoluca: “walk straight”
  • Highland Puebla Nahuatl, Kekchí, Muna: “have a straight heart”
  • Kipsigis: “do the truth”
  • Mezquital Otomi: “do according to the truth”
  • Huautla Mazatec: “have truth”
  • Yine: “fulfill what one should do”
  • Indonesian: “be true”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “do just so”
  • Anuak: “do as it should be”
  • Mossi: “have a white stomach” (see also happiness / joy)
  • Paasaal: “white heart” (source: Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)
  • (San Mateo del Mar Huave: “completely good” (the translation does not imply sinless perfection)
  • Nuer: “way of right” (“there is a complex concept of “right” vs. ‘left’ in Nuer where ‘right’ indicates that which is masculine, strong, good, and moral, and ‘left’ denotes what is feminine, weak, and sinful (a strictly masculine viewpoint!) The ‘way of right’ is therefore righteousness, but of course women may also attain this way, for the opposition is more classificatory than descriptive.”) (This and all above from Bratcher / Nida except for Bilua: Carl Gross; Tiv: Rob Koops; Muna: René van den Berg)
  • Central Subanen: “wise-good” (source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. )
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “live well”
  • Mezquital Otomi: “goodness before the face of God” (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl: “the result of heart-straightening” (source: Nida 1947, p. 224)
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “entirely good” (when referred to God), “do good” or “not be a debtor as God sees one” (when referred to people)
  • Carib: “level”
  • Tzotzil: “straight-hearted”
  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “right and straight”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “walk straight” (source for this and four previous: John Beekman in Notes on Translation November 1964, p. 1-22)
  • Makonde: “doing what God wants” (in a context of us doing) and “be good in God’s eyes” (in the context of being made righteous by God) (note that justify / justification is translated as “to be made good in the eyes of God.” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
  • Aari: The Pauline word for “righteous” is generally rendered by “makes one without sin” in the Aari, sometimes “before God” is added for clarity. (Source: Loren Bliese)
  • North Alaskan Inupiatun: “having sin taken away” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 144)
  • Nyamwezi: wa lole: “just” or “someone who follows the law of God” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Venda: “nothing wrong, OK” (Source: J.A. van Roy in The Bible Translator 1972, p. 418ff. )
  • Ekari: maakodo bokouto or “enormous truth” (the same word that is also used for “truth“; bokouto — “enormous” — is being used as an attribute for abstract nouns to denote that they are of God [see also here]; source: Marion Doble in The Bible Translator 1963, p. 37ff. ).
  • Guhu-Samane: pobi or “right” (also: “right (side),” “(legal) right,” “straightness,” “correction,” “south,” “possession,” “pertinence,” “kingdom,” “fame,” “information,” or “speech” — “According to [Guhu-Samane] thinking there is a common core of meaning among all these glosses. Even from an English point of view the first five can be seen to be closely related, simply because of their similarity in English. However, from that point the nuances of meaning are not so apparent. They relate in some such a fashion as this: As one faces the morning sun, south lies to the right hand (as north lies to the left); then at one’s right hand are his possessions and whatever pertains to him; thus, a rich man’s many possessions and scope of power and influence is his kingdom; so, the rich and other important people encounter fame; and all of this spreads as information and forms most of the framework of the people’s speech.”) (Source: Ernest Richert in Notes on Translation 1964, p. 11ff.)
  • German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): Gerechtheit, a neologism to differentiate it from the commonly-used Gerechtigkeit which can mean “righteousness” but is more often used in modern German as “fairness” (Berger / Nord especially use Gerechtheit in Letter to the Romans) or Gerechtestun, also a neologism, meaning “righteous deeds” (especially in Letter to the Ephesians)
  • “did what he should” (Eastern Highland Otomi)
  • “a clear man, good [man]” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004)

See also respectable, righteous, righteous (person), devout, and She is more in the right(eous) than I.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 11:31

The structure and argument of this verse takes the form, “A, much more B.” Revised Standard Version shows this structure also in 15.11; 17.7; 19.7, 10; and 21.27.

“If the righteous is requited on earth”: The Hebrew text begins with a particle that calls attention to what follows (King James Version “Behold”). In many languages rendering this particle as “If . . .” will give completely the wrong meaning, since it will say that the righteous may not get any reward. An alternative approach is to say “We know that . . . and so we can be sure. . ..” “Requite” means to repay, reward, or compensate. “On earth” should be understood as “on this earth” or “here on earth,” as in Good News Translation. If we keep the form of Revised Standard Version, we may say, for example, “If good people receive what is just on this earth” or “If good people get what they deserve here on earth.”

“How much more the wicked and the sinner”: “How much more” is literally “also indeed,” a rhetorical device for adding emphasis to the second line; translators should use whatever device is appropriate for emphasis in their own language. “The wicked and the sinner” do not designate two kinds of evil people but are used together to make the expression emphatic and inclusive. The verb “requite” is to be understood as also applying to the second line. “Requite” as applied to sinners means “punish.” See Good News Translation.

For the whole verse Bible en français courant says “If good people are rewarded on earth, one can be certain that the wicked and the sinner will receive what they deserve.”

We may modify the form of this to say “We know that good people will receive their reward in this world, and this means that bad people too who keep on sinning will certainly get what they deserve.”

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 11:31)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 11:31:

  • Kupsabiny: “If/When indeed a righteous person can get blessing from/in this world/earth,
    how much more pain will the sinner get.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If justice for the righteous
    happens on earth,
    how much more will justice
    happen to sinners and the wicked.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If the righteous in the world receive a recompense from what they are-doing, especially the wicked and sinners will- surely -receive-recompense.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If on this earth the righteous/just are rewarded, for-sure also those who are doing evil will be punished.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Sometimes righteous people are rewarded here on the earth,
    but it is much more certain that very wicked people will be rewarded by being punished.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 11:31

11:31

Notice the parallelism:

31a If the righteous receive their due on earth,

31b how much more the ungodly and the sinner !

There is an ellipsis in 11:31b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the verb phrase “receive their due” from 11:31a. For example:

31b how much more ⌊will⌋ the ungodly and the sinner ⌊receive their due⌋ !

This is the first example in Proverbs of logical reasoning from the lesser to the greater. The reasoning goes like this: Since 11:31a is true, even more certainly 11:31b must be true. This kind of reasoning also occurs in 15:11, 17:7, 19:7, 19:10, and 21:27.

11:31a–b

If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!: The verb receive their due means to be repaid or to receive what they deserve for their actions. There are two ways to interpret the verb in this context:

(1) The verb is used in a bad sense to mean “be punished.” Since even the righteous are punished for their sins, it is even more certain that the ungodly are punished for their sins. For example:

If the just man is punished on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner! (New American Bible)

(2) The verb is used in a good sense to mean “be rewarded.” Since the righteous are rewarded for the good that they do, it is even more certain that the ungodly are punished for the evil that they do. For example:

Those who are good are rewarded here on earth, so you can be sure that wicked and sinful people will be punished. (Good News Translation)

Many versions are ambiguous. For example:

is requited (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
are repaid (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
gets due reward (New Jerusalem Bible)

Phrases such as these, as well as receive their due in the Berean Standard Bible, can have either a bad or a good meaning in English.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most scholars. There are at least two reasons:

(a) The general theme of Proverbs is that the righteous are rewarded. However, many examples in the Old Testament show that God judges or disciplines those whom he loves.

(b) The reasoning from the lesser to the greater makes more sense in interpretation (1), because it is much easier to understand that God will judge the wicked.

Verbs such as “is recompensed/repaid” and “is punished” are passive. In some languages, it may be more natural to use active verbs and supply the LORD as the subject. For example:

We know that ⌊the LORD⌋ repays righteous people here on this earth for the sins they have committed. If that is true, it is even more certain that ⌊he⌋ will punish those who are sinful and wicked.

11:31a

If the righteous: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible and most versions translate as If calls attention to what follows. It should not imply doubt. Some other ways to express this meaning are:

Since the righteous…
-or-
We know that the righteous…

receive their due on earth: Some scholars think that the words on earth emphasize the location where the righteous now receive their due. This location is in contrast to hell, where the wicked receive their due in the future. But no version makes this contrast explicit.

Most scholars think that both the righteous and the wicked will be repaid on earth according to their deeds. So in your translation, you should be careful not to imply a different location for the judgment of the wicked.

11:31b

the ungodly and the sinner: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as ungodly is the same word that it translates as “wicked” in many other verses. Most other versions translate it here as “wicked.” The “wicked” and the sinner both describe the same person. Some ways of making this clear are:

you can be sure that wicked and sinful people will be punished (Good News Translation)
-or-
how much more the wicked sinner (NET Bible)

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