The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is translated as “justice” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that describes the quality or principle of fairness, righteousness, and impartiality in treating other people. A literal back-translation of the signs are “FOLLOW(God is implied) ACTIONS, DECISIONS JUST-RIGHT”. A more idiomatic back-translation would be: “actions and decisions are right/fitting/just in accordance to God’s will.” The movement in the signs itself helps to indicate that this is a noun, not a verb. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Justice” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the HausaCommon Language Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.
Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (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)
This saying contrasts the feelings of good or righteous people and those of wicked people about the execution of justice. The second line adds the element of contrast to the straightforward statement of the first line.
“When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous”: “When justice is done” is literally “doing judgment.” Some interpreters take the line to mean that “the righteous” are happy (“it is a joy”) when they themselves act in a just or fair way. Others take it to mean that when “justice” is upheld in the community, perhaps by the punishment of “evildoers”, “the righteous” are glad (because that is what they want). “When justice is done” clearly gives this second meaning in English; to express the other possible sense, we must say something like “Doing what is right. . .” (New Jerusalem Bible).
“But dismay to evildoers”: In Hebrew this line is identical to the second line of 10.29. See the comments there. By itself this line is only part of a sentence; it is the counterpart or contrast to “a joy to the righteous” in the previous line. The Hebrew term rendered “dismay” means “terror,” “destruction,” or “ruin.” As an opposite to “joy” it expresses the feeling of “terror” (New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version) that evildoers may have when they see right behavior upheld and wrong behavior punished. Contemporary English Version expresses it in a more colloquial way in English: “crooks are terrified.” Another possible sense for this line is that “it means destruction for evildoers,” because this is the outcome of justice being done. Scott translates “this spells ruin for evildoers.”
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 21:15:
Kupsabiny: “If/When justice/truth is done, it makes the righteous people happy, but (it) threatens/terrifies sinners.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “When justice takes place the righteous rejoice. and the wicked tremble.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “If justice will-prevail, the righteous rejoice, but the evil-ones are nervous/worried.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Those who are doing what is right are made-happy when justice is put-forth (i.e. accomplished), but sinners are afraid.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “Good/Righteous people are happy when they see others do what is just/fair, but those who do what is evil are terrified when they think about what may happen to them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
This proverb contrasts the different responses of righteous people and evildoers to the doing of justice.
15a Justice executed is a joyto the righteous
15b but a terrorto the workers of iniquity.
In Hebrew, the verse is literally “joy to/for the righteous to do justice and/but terror to/for doers of wickedness.” The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the verb “is.”
21:15a
Justice executed is a joy to the righteous: There are two ways to interpret who accomplishes Justice :
(1) People in general accomplish justice. It brings righteous people joy when someone in the government or community does what is right or accomplishes justice for others. For example:
When justice is done, good people are happy (Good News Translation)
(2) Righteous people do justice. It brings them joy when they do what is right or when they accomplish justice for others. For example:
Doing what is right fills the upright with joy (New Jerusalem Bible)
The Hebrew phrase can be understood either way. In some languages, it may be possible to translate this phrase so that either meaning is understood. If it is not possible, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions. This interpretation forms a better contrast with the parallel phrase “terror to the workers of iniquity.”
Another way to translate 21:15a is:
Righteous people feel joy when their fellowmen treat others fairly/justly.
21:15b
but a terror to the workers of iniquity: This phrase describes the emotion that workers of iniquity feel when legal or social justice is accomplished. They are afraid or dismayed when criminals are punished for breaking the law or when the rights of poor people are defended. Some other ways to translate this line are:
but it causes dismay among evildoers (Revised English Bible)
-or-
but troublemakers are terrified (God’s Word)
-or-
but evil people are brought to despair (Good News Translation)
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