neighbor

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The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “neighbor” in English is rendered into Babatana as “different man,” i.e. someone who is not one of your relatives. (Source: David Clark)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun, it is rendered as “a person outside of your building,” in Tzeltal as “your back and side” (implying position of the dwellings), in Indonesian and in Tae’ as “your fellow-man,” in Toraja-Sa’dan it is “your fellow earth-dweller,” in Shona (translation of 1966) as “another person like you,” in Kekchí “younger-brother-older-brother” (a compound which means all one’s neighbors in a community) (sources: Bratcher / Nida and Reiling / Swellengrebel), in Mairasi “your people” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Mezquital Otomi as “fellow being,” in Tzeltal as “companion,” in Isthmus Zapotec as “another,” in Teutila Cuicatec as “all people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), and in most modern German translations as Mitmensch or “fellow human being” (lit. “with + human being”).

In Matt 19:19, Matt 22:39, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27, Luke 10:29 it is translated into Ixcatlán Mazatec with a term that refers to a person who is socially/physically near. Ixcatlán Mazatec also has a another term for “neighbor” that means “fellow humans-outsiders” which was not chosen for these passages. (Source: Robert Bascom)

In Noongar it is translated as moorta-boordak or “people nearby” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

neighbor - relative

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “neighbor” or “relative” in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) and the Buku Lopatulika translation (1922/2018) with just one word: nansi. This word can also be translated as neighbors whom you share a blood relation with because in Chewa context a community is mostly comprised of people of blood relations. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Proverbs 21:10

The theme of this saying is that wicked people have a desire for, or enjoy, doing evil. For other expressions of this theme, see 4.16 and 10.23. The two lines are parallel, with the second extending or giving an application of the sense of the first.

“The soul of the wicked desires evil”: “The soul of” a person refers to the person’s mind or will in a context like this. Scott translates “mind”; but with a verb of desiring or intention it is more natural in many languages to render “The soul of the wicked” simply as “The wicked” or “Wicked people” (Good News Translation). The sense of the Hebrew verb “desires” is what a person naturally or characteristically wants; here it describes a habitual action or attitude. It is well rendered by English verbs like “is intent on” (New Jerusalem Bible), “are set on” (Revised English Bible), “are always hungry for” (Good News Translation), and “craves” (New International Version).

“His neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes”: “His neighbor”, as in 3.28, does not mean only the person who lives nearby. It is the term that is often translated “friend” and can also mean “his fellow man” (Scott) or any other person (Good News Translation “anyone”). The verb rendered “finds no mercy” is a passive form, meaning “is not shown favor [or, consideration],” and in this context “in his eyes” means simply “from him” (New International Version). Translators may need to restructure the line to whatever is more natural for them. Some examples of restructuring are “his neighbor gets no mercy from him” (New International Version), “friends do not arouse their pity” (Revised English Bible), “he has no mercy for his fellow man” (Scott), and “they have no mercy on anyone” (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 21:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 21:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “A person who is a sinner desires to do evil,
    and (he/she) never has mercy for his/her neighbor.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Wicked people are always concerned about doing evil.
    No one gets any mercy from them.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The wicked are always wanting to do evil (thing); they do- not -have compassion/mercy towards their fellowman.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “A sinner desires/loves to do what is evil. He has no mercy/kindness, even to his friends.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Wicked people are always wanting to do what is evil;
    they never act mercifully toward anyone.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 21:10

21:10

In this proverb, the second line gives the result of the first line.

10a The soul of the wicked man craves evil;

10b his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

21:10a

The soul of the wicked man craves evil: This clause means that a consistently sinful person strongly and habitually desires to do things that are harmful to others.

The soul of the wicked man: In this context, the word soul represents either the person’s mind/will or the person himself.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

The mind of a wicked person desires evil (God’s Word)
-or-
Wicked people are intent on harming others

21:10b

his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes: This clause gives the result of the wicked person’s continual craving to harm others. In English versions, this result is not introduced with a specific conjunction. In some languages, it may be more natural to introduce this clause with a word or phrase such as “so” or “as a result.”

neighbor: In Hebrew, this word can refer to anyone with whom a person interacts. It can include a close friend, an acquaintance, or someone who lives nearby. In 19:6b, the Berean Standard Bible translated the same word as “friend.”

finds no favor in his eyes: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “is not shown favor in his eyes.” In the context of the first line, it indicates that the wicked person will show no consideration or mercy to his friend or fellow man.

In many cultures, it is somewhat surprising if a person shows no mercy to an acquaintance or friend. Some English versions indicate that this is unexpected behavior by adding a word such as “even.” For example:

even friends do not arouse their pity (Revised English Bible)

Consider whether it is natural to make this implication explicit in your language.

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