wisdom ("head wisdom")

In the Tzeltal translation for the dialectal variant of Highland Tzeltal (Biblia Tzeltal yu’un Oxchuc soc Tenejapa, 2001) the translation team used three different words to translate the Hebrew term that is translated as “wisdom” in English. For the verses referenced here, it uses p’ijil jol or “head wisdom.”

For the complete story and more background, please see wisdom (Proverbs).

Translation commentary on Proverbs 14:24

“The crown of the wise is their wisdom”: Interpreters have modified the Hebrew in various ways to get a satisfactory sense from this line. The line is literally “The crown of the wise is wealth.” As the Revised Standard Version footnote shows, its translation follows the Septuagint. However, the Hebrew text is rated as “B” by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, which recommends “their wealth” in place of “their wisdom”. In 3.16 and 8.18 wealth is one of the rewards granted by wisdom to her followers. In 22.4 wealth is one of the rewards for fearing the Lord. “Crown” is used in 12.4 as a symbol of respect or honor; see also 16.31 and 17.6. The Hebrew text of this line is to be understood as meaning that riches are the reward granted to the wise. Note Good News Translation.

“But folly is the garland of fools”: The Hebrew of this line is literally “the folly of fools is folly.” Nearly all commentators change the first occurrence of “folly” to give a word meaning “wreath” or “garland”. In 4.9 the words for “crown” and “garland” occur in parallel. See 1.9 for the translation of “garland”. In this case Hebrew Old Testament Text Project supports the choice of Revised Standard Version. However, a “garland” for the fool is contrary to the association of “garland” in its previous uses, where it is an adornment given to someone who embraces wisdom. Good News Translation, which says the Hebrew is unclear, changes the Hebrew to “fools are known by their foolishness.” Contemporary English Version, which also does not follow the Septuagint, says “Wisdom can make you rich, but foolishness leads to more foolishness.”

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 14:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 14:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “The wise people get wealth,
    but the stupid become fools/misfits.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “People who have wisdom
    will have wealth as a reward,
    But by foolish work,
    one only becomes a fool.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The reward for the wise is their wealth, but the payment for the fools of their foolishness is more foolishness.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Like a crown of the wise is their wealth, but the foolish, what their crown is is their foolishness.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “One of the rewards of being wise is to become rich;
    the reward of acting foolishly is to become more foolish.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 14:24

14:24

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

24a
The crown of the wise is their wealth,

24b but the effort of fools is folly.

14:24a

The crown of the wise is their wealth: There is a textual difference here:

(1) The Masoretic Text has: “The crown of the wise is their wealth.” This means that wise people are crowned/rewarded with wealth. For example:

Wise people are rewarded with wealth (Good News Translation)

(2) The LXX has a word meaning “prudence” instead of “wealth.” So some scholars think that the original text was: “The crown of the wise is their prudence.” For example:

The crown of the wise is their wisdom (New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most versions and scholars. The MT makes good sense as it is. Other proverbs (such as 3:16, 8:18) also describe riches as a reward that comes from having wisdom.

In Hebrew, the word order of 14:24a is as in the Berean Standard Bible. Some versions change the word order. For example:

24a Their wealth is the crown of the wise (Revised English Bible)
-or-
24a The wealth of the wise is their crown (New International Version)

You may use either of these word orders. There is little difference in meaning.

14:24b

but the effort of fools is folly: There is a textual issue in this line:

(1) The Masoretic Text has: “The folly (ʾiwwelet) of fools (kǝsilim) ⌊is⌋ folly (ʾiwwelet).” This means that the foolish behavior of fools consists or results in nothing but foolishness itself. For example:

The stupidity of fools is just that—stupidity! (God’s Word)

(2) Some scholars think that instead of the first instance of Hebrew ʾiwwelet (“folly”), the original text was liwyat (“wreath” or “garland”). The line would then have: “The wreath/garland of fools is folly.” This would provide a better parallel to “crown” in 14:24a. For example:

but folly is the garland of fools (New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most versions and scholars. Inexact contrasts are common in Proverbs, so that in itself is not enough reason to propose a different Hebrew text. Also, the word “garland/wreath” occurs in positive contexts elsewhere in Proverbs (1:9 and 4:9). It is not used in describing fools.

Some other ways to express the meaning of this line are:

the effort of fools yields only foolishness (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
but foolishness leads to more foolishness (Contemporary English Version)

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