Translation commentary on Proverbs 20:3

This saying makes a contrast between an honorable person and a fool. The one takes care to avoid strife, while the other is quarrelsome by nature.

“It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife”: This is expressed more briefly and more naturally in New Revised Standard Version, which says “It is honorable to refrain from strife.” New Jerusalem Bible takes “strife” to refer to a legal dispute, rendering the line “It is praiseworthy to stop short of a law-suit.” Other versions are more general, with “arguments” (Good News Translation), “a fight” (Contemporary English Version), “a dispute” (Revised English Bible). Refer also to 17.1 for “strife”. In translation the sense of “keep aloof” may be expressed either as “staying away” from conflict or as “withdrawing” from a situation in which there is conflict already.

“But every fool will be quarreling”: “Every fool” introduces a general statement about the behavior of fools. “Quarreling” is parallel to “strife” in the previous line; the same verb occurs in 17.14, where Revised Standard Version renders it “breaks out.” The sense is that an argument breaks out among a group of people. This line may be expressed in other ways; in English, for example, we may say “a fool is always quarreling” or “fools love to quarrel” (Contemporary English Version).

In some languages a better progression of thought in this saying may be obtained by reversing the lines, as in Good News Translation.

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 20:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 20:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “A person who keeps away from quarrel is honored,
    but a person who is short tempered is foolish.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Fools try to pick quarrels.
    It is honorable to avoid them [quarrels].” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “A man who stays-away from trouble is-honored; only fools like trouble.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It is honored behavior to go-far-from quarrelling/fighting. It is only the foolish-person who likes to join-in-quarrelling.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “People respect those who stay away from disputes/arguments;
    foolish people love to quarrel.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 20:3

20:3

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

3a It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute,

3b but any fool will quarrel.

The main contrast is between avoiding quarrels and starting them.

20:3a

It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute: This clause means that a person who refrains from fighting or quarreling will gain honor and respect from other people.

a dispute: In Hebrew, this word can refer specifically to a legal dispute, such as a “law-suit” (New Jerusalem Bible). Here the word probably refers more generally to any kind of quarrel or dispute.

Some other ways to translate 20:3a are:

It is honorable to refrain from strife (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Avoiding a quarrel is honorable. (God’s Word)

In some languages, it may be necessary to make the source of honor explicit. For example:

If a person stays away from quarreling, ⌊his fellowmen⌋ will praise/honor him.

20:3b

but any fool: In Hebrew, this word for fool implies an insolent or stubborn fool. For example:

any stubborn fool (God’s Word)

will quarrel: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will quarrel is literally “breaks out.” Here it indicates that fools frequently or customarily start fights or quarrels with other people. Some other ways to translate 20:3b are:

but every fool quarrels (NET Bible)
-or-
but all fools like to start fights

General Comment on 20:3a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of these two lines. For example:

3b Any fool can start arguments; 3a the honorable thing is to stay out of them. (Good News Translation)

See also 20:3a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.

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