The Hebrew that is translated as “abomination” or similar in English is translated in Vidunda as “hated thing” and in Kwere as zitibusa which means “evil” but also something that causes horror or disgust and revolts people. (Source for both: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
in Ngambay it is nékɔb or “taboo.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
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:
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)
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)
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)
“It is an abomination to kings to do evil”: For “abomination” see the comments on 3.32. The wording of this line in Revised Standard Version is ambiguous since it may be read either as evil done by others or as evil done by kings. Most take it that evil done by anyone is an abomination to kings. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “Kings reprove evil actions.” We may also say, for example, “Kings hate people who do bad things.” See Good News Translation.
“For the throne is established by righteousness”: The connector “for” introduces this line as the reason why kings must hate evildoing. “The throne” is the seat of the king and the symbol of royal authority. “Established” renders the same word as used in 12.3. Here it has the sense of “fixed,” “founded,” “determined.” “Righteousness” refers to right conduct, proper behavior or honesty in dealings. Upholding good conduct is the basis upon which a stable kingdom is built. In Psa 89.14 (Hebrew verse 15) the same expression is used in regard to the Lord‘s throne. We may translate this saying, for example, “When people do evil, kings condemn them because the rule of a king depends on people doing the right thing.” One African translation has “Doing evil is detestable to a king because doing right is what makes a government strong.”
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 .
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 16:12:
Kupsabiny: “A king/ruler does not agree with/condone evil/sin, because his leadership is strong if he stands on the truth.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “The king does not like corrupt / dishonest work, because the king attains strength through justice.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Kings detest the doing of bad/evil, for their leading/ruling can-continue only if they will-do what is just/right.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “The rule of kings is strong if they are just/righteous, therefore they dislike/reject what is evil.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “Kings detest those who do evil, because it is people doing what is fair/right that causes their governments to be strong.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
The second line gives the reason or motive for the first line.
12a Wicked behavior is detestable to kings,
12b for a throne is established through righteousness.
The underlined parallel parts have similar meanings. The parts in bold print contrast in meaning.
16:12a
Wicked behavior is detestable to kings: For detestable, see the note on 11:1a. Scholars interpret the subject of Wicked behavior in different ways:
(1) Wicked behavior refers to evil deeds in general. These include any wrong deeds done by the king himself, others in the government, or the people in his kingdom. For example:
Evil-doing is abhorrent to kings (New Jerusalem Bible)
(2) Wicked behavior refers to evil deeds done by the king. For example:
It is an abomination to kings to do evil. (Revised Standard Version)
(3) Wicked behavior refers to evil deeds done by others. For example:
Kings hate those who do wrong. (New Century Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars. Any wicked deeds interfere with the stability of government in a country, regardless of who does them.
16:12b
for a throne is established: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a throne is a figure of speech (metonymy). It represents a king’s rule or authority. The word translated as is established means to be secure, stable or enduring.
through righteousness: The stability of a king’s rule depends on righteousness, that is, people doing what is right.
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