Translation commentary on Proverbs 15:19

“The way of a sluggard is overgrown with thorns”: “The way” in this context refers to the life, conduct, or activities of a person. “A sluggard”, first used in 6.6 and 6.9, refers to a lazy person. “Overgrown with thorns” is literally “like a thorn hedge.” The sense seems to be that the lazy person finds obstacles everywhere in his life and so is unable to accomplish anything.

“But the path of the upright is a level highway”: “The path of the upright” parallels and contrasts with “The way of the sluggard”. However, some interpreters feel that “the upright” is not a suitable contrast with “a sluggard” and so follow the Septuagint that has “diligent,” as in 13.4 in Revised Standard Version. Accordingly, New English Bible/Revised English Bible say “but the road of the diligent is. . ..” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers “those who go in a straight way.” This is close to Good News Translation “if you are honest. . ..” “Level highway” refers to a road or path that has no obstacles and is easy to walk on. Contemporary English Version translates the whole saying “Being lazy is like walking in a thorn patch, but everyone who does right walks on a smooth road.”

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 15:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 15:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “The way/path of a lazy person is painful/bitter,
    but straightforward is the path of an upright/righteous person.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “On the path of the lazy
    there are only thorns,
    but the path of the good is a highway.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If you (sing.) are lazy, you (sing.) will-find-it- very -hard in your (sing.) life, but if you (sing.) are diligent/industrious, your (sing.) life (will-be) at-peace.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Much is the hardship in the life of a lazy-person even wherever he goes, but the righteous/just-person, none are the problems that arrive in his life.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Lazy people constantly have difficulties ; it is as though they are walking through thorns;
    but those who are honest and hard-working will have few difficulties; it is as though they are walking on a level highway.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 15:19

15:19

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

19a
The way of the slacker is like a hedge of thorns,

19b but the path of the upright is a highway.

15:19a–b

The way of the slacker…the path of the upright: In Proverbs, the parallel metaphors of way and path often represent a person’s conduct. Here, however, they are used in a context that is very similar to 11:5a. They represent a person’s progress toward meeting his goals in life. The contrast is between the life pathway followed by a slacker and the path followed by an upright person.

slacker…upright: A slacker is a lazy person. An upright person is someone who does what is right and honest. For upright, see the note on 11:3a.

is like a hedge of thorns…is a highway: This proverb compares the life of a lazy person to a path/road that is blocked by thorn bushes. Another way to translate the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as like a hedge of thorns is:

overgrown with thorns (New Revised Standard Version)

In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “like a thorn hedge.” A thorn hedge represents obstacles that block a person’s way. So the meaning of this simile is that a lazy person’s life is full of obstacles or difficulties. These difficulties keep him from reaching his goals.

By contrast, the life of an upright person is compared to a highway. His efforts to meet his goals are like traveling on a broad, level road that has been cleared of obstacles.

Some ways to translate these figures of speech are:

• Use a simile in both lines. For example:

19a A lazy person’s life is like a patch of thorns, 19b but an honest person’s life is like a smooth highway. (New Century Version)

• Use similes and make explicit the points of similarity. For example:

19a If you are lazy, ⌊your aims in life will be blocked.⌋ You will be like a person who tries to force his way through a thorny hedge. 19b But if you are someone who does what is right, ⌊your plans will not be blocked.⌋ You will be like a person walking along a smooth road.

• State the meaning without using figures of speech. For example:

A lazy person has trouble all through life; the path of the upright is easy! (New Living Translation (1996))

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