Translation commentary on Proverbs 16:26

In this saying the first line makes a general statement and the second explains it with a more concrete expression.

“A worker’s appetite works for him”: To avoid exclusive language, New Revised Standard Version has revised Revised Standard Version to say “The appetite of workers works for them.” “A worker” refers to a person who is engaged in labor to earn a living. “Appetite” is literally “soul” (nefesh in Hebrew). For the same use of the word see 6.30. “Appetite” refers here to the desire to eat, and the idea expressed is that hunger or the need to eat forces a person to work. This line may be rendered, for example, “If you are hungry, you will work” or “A hungry person has to work in order to eat.”

“His mouth urges him on”: “Mouth” is here parallel to “appetite” in the first line. It is the worker’s hunger expressed in this line as “his mouth” that “urges”, that is, drives or presses him to work so he can feed himself.

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 16:26)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 16:26:

  • Kupsabiny: “Hunger leads/pushes one to work hard.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The workers work harder and harder
    for the sake of their stomachs,
    because they have to work like that
    to be cured of their hunger.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Hunger pushes a man to work.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because-of a person’s desire to eat, he-becomes-industrious to work.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “If a worker has an appetite/is hungry, that urges him to work hard
    because he wants to earn money to buy things to eat.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 16:26

16:26

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

26a
A worker’s appetite works for him

26b because his hunger drives him onward.

The second line explains more specifically how a laborer’s appetite works for him. It makes him willing to work harder.

16:26a–b

A worker’s appetite…his hunger: The Hebrew words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as appetite and hunger are literally “soul” and “mouth.” They both refer here to a person’s desire/need for food.

works for him…drives him onward: This physical need works for him, that is, it serves a positive purpose. His hunger will make him willing to work harder in order to obtain food. The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as drives him onward occurs only here in the OT. Another way to translate it is:

urges him on (New Jerusalem Bible)

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

A laborer’s appetite makes him work harder, because he wants to satisfy his hunger. (Good News Translation)
-or-
The workers’ hunger helps them, because their desire to eat makes them work. (New Century Version)

General Comment on 16:26a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. See 16:26a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.

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