Proverbs 1:1 - 7

The following is a back-translation of Proverbs 1-7 from the Spanish Traducción en Lenguaje Actual (publ. 2002, 2004):

1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, a son of David, Israel’s king.
2-4 It is their purpose
That you, young people,
May come to be wise,
May straighten up your behavior
And may also understand words
That are well thought and well said.
These proverbs serve as well
To teach those with no experience,
So they can take care of themselves,
And be just and honest in everything.
So they may show they are smart and knowledgeable,
And think over what they do.
5 Those of you who are wise and intelligent,
Listen to what I want to tell you.
You will thus become wiser
And will gain more experience.
6 You will thus be able to understand
The difference between a proverb,
An example, and a riddle.
7 Whoever wants to become wise
Must begin by obeying God.
But ignorant people
Don’t want to be corrected
Nor do they want to become wise.

Spanish text available here, translation by Alfredo Tepo in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 2016ff. .

Translation commentary on Proverbs 1:4

“That prudence may be given to the simple”: “Prudence” renders a word whose basic meaning is “crafty” or “shrewd.” It is used in Gen 3.1 to describe the serpent as “the most cunning animal” (Good News Translation). In Job 5.12 it is used in “the devices of the crafty” which are frustrated by God. However, in Proverbs the sense is more positive, giving the idea of intelligent insight. Good News Translation says “clever” and Contemporary English Version “smart.” New American Bible calls it “resourcefulness,” Scott “sharpen the wits.” In some languages a verbal expression is more natural; for example, “This wise talk can open the thinking of. . ..” Translators should avoid words that include the idea of craftiness or trickery.

“Simple” translates a term referring to persons who are easily influenced for good or for bad because they lack maturity and instruction. Good News Translation calls them “inexperienced,” and Traduction Œcuménique de la Bible has “naive.” In translation it is best to express, if possible, a category of persons who are immature or lacking experience, as the parallel clearly refers to young people. In some languages such people are said to be “unripe” or “the recent born.” Another way of expressing the sense is to say “some [young] people have only a little knowledge.”

“Knowledge and discretion to the youth”: “Knowledge” is the noun form of the verb “to know” used in verse 2, where it is often rendered “acquire wisdom,” “get wisdom,” “obtain wisdom,” or “learn wisdom.” “Knowledge” is experience and attitude as well as information. This knowledge was taught to enable young men to negotiate their way successfully in the world.

“Discretion” renders a term referring to the power or ability to make plans and to see clearly how to reach a goal. In 12.2 and 24.8 the word is used for plotting to do evil acts, but in this verse it is used in a good sense.

“The youth” refers here to a young person and emphasizes again a state of immaturity. However, the age of the person is largely defined by the context. In Exo 2.6 it refers to Moses as an infant; in 2 Kgs 4.29 it is used of the male child of the Shunammite woman. In Jdg 17.7 it refers to a grown man, and in 2 Sam 9.9 to Saul’s male servant, Ziba, who himself had sons. Although some versions (King James Version, New American Bible) render this term by “young man,” others focus on the element of immaturity. Most do not use an expression that is exclusively male; for example, Moffatt, New English Bible, and Revised English Bible say “the young,” Bible en français courant “the young folk,” and Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version “young people.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch may provide a good model for some: “whoever is young and inexperienced.”

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 1:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 1:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “They make the still young/immature to be wise and bring understanding to those still growing up.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “[They] will make inexperienced people clever,
    and will give young people knowledge.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “This can-give wisdom to the ones who have no wisdom, and this can-give knowledge to the young-ones how to decide rightly.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “These advices, they will also cause-to-be-skillful/intelligent those who know nothing and the children so that their way of thinking will be correct/proper.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “They will show people who do not yet know much how to do things that are smart.
    They will show young people how to become wise and how to make good plans/decisions.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 1:4

1:4

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

4a to impart prudence to the simple

4b and knowledge and discretion to the young,

1:4a

To impart prudence: In Proverbs the Hebrew word ʿormah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as prudence, indicates shrewdness or resourcefulness. It refers to a person’s ability to make clever plans to achieve his goals. Some other ways to translate this word are:

shrewdness (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
cleverness
-or-
resourcefulness (New American Bible)

to the simple: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as simple refers to inexperienced, naive people. These people allow themselves to be easily persuaded or led astray into foolish behavior. People who are simple are immature and tend to believe whatever they are told. The Hebrew word used here is plural. Some other ways to translate this word are:

naive/gullible people
-or-
people with little experience
-or-
people who are easily deceived
-or-
people who quickly believe what they hear
-or-
people who do not know anything

1:4b

and knowledge and discretion: There are two ways to interpret the connection between these two nouns:

(1) They are two equal nouns and should be translated with an “and” between them. For example:

knowledge and discernment (New Living Translation (2004))

(2) One noun is subordinate to the other. They are not two equal nouns. For example, the phrase could be translated as:

knowledge of how to be discreet
-or-
how to be resourceful (Good News Translation)

Although no scholars argued against the second option, the few who supported it had differing ideas as to how it should be translated. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

discretion: The Hebrew word mǝzimmah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as discretion, refers to the ability to make a plan that will accomplish a specific goal. Other ways to translate this word are:

shrewdness (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
discernment (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
ability to think of an effective plan

to the young: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as young can refer to any male from infancy up to early adulthood. However, the setting in Proverbs describes an unmarried teenage son nearing adulthood. If your language has a specific term for unmarried young men, you may be able to use it here. Another way to translate this term is to use a more general expression. For example:

young people (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 1:4a–b

The parallel parts of these two lines should be understood as a unit. So the terms “the simple” and “the young” describe people who are both “simple” and “young.” These terms should not be understood as separate categories of people, with “the simple” gaining “prudence” and “the young” gaining “knowledge and discretion.” If a parallel structure in your language wrongly implies that “the simple” and “the young” gain different benefits from the proverbs, you may need to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in these lines. For example:

⌊Still another function of these proverbs⌋ is to cause inexperienced young people to gain knowledge and to become resourceful. Then they will be able to make successful plans.

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