Translation commentary on Proverbs 1:21

“On the top of the walls” is literally “on the top of noise.” The image is of a noisy crowd. Here Revised Standard Version has chosen to follow the Septuagint. New Revised Standard Version has revised to say “At the busiest corner.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends “in the most noisy places.”

“At the entrance of the city gates” describes more precisely the place spoken of in the second line of verse 20. This is the part of the city where legal and other public matters were handled. In translation it is not always necessary to mention “the city gates”, as it is the function of this part of the city that is important. It is frequently called “the public square” or in some languages “the village courtyard.”

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 1:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 1:21:

  • Kupsabiny: “(He/it) proclaims from where the people advises/counsels and shouts/calls in the roads/streets where (people) go out from (and come into) the city.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Staying on the main road,
    she has been instructing the people
    who have gathered at the city gate.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Wisdom is like a man who is-preaching loudly in the streets, plazas, markets, and in the entrance/gates of the cities. He says,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “and in the selling-places near the entrance of the city. She says giving-a-speech to the people:” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 1:21

1:21

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

21a
in the main concourse she cries aloud,

21b
at the city gates she makes her speech :

1:21a–b

in the main concourse…at the city gates: The phrase in the main concourse refers to the place where the streets converged, at the entrance of the city gates. So these two phrases refer to the same area as the “public squares.”

If your readers will not understand city gates as a place where people gathered, you may want to add a footnote. Here is one possible wording for a footnote:

Inside the gates/entrance of the city was a wide place where people gathered to talk and to do business.

General Comment on 1:20–21

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in both verses. For example:

Wisdom ⌊goes⌋ outside to the wide-areas/plaza near the gates of the city, where people gather ⌊to conduct business⌋ . She raises her voice to speak to them.

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