mercy

The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin terms that are typically translated as “mercy” (or “compassion” or “kindness”) in English are translated in various ways. Bratcher / Nida classify them in (1) those based on the quality of heart, or other psychological center, (2) those which introduce the concept of weeping or extreme sorrow, (3) those which involve willingness to look upon and recognize the condition of others, or (4) those which involve a variety of intense feelings.

While the English mercy originates from the Latin merces, originally “price paid,” Romance languages (Italian, Spanish, Corsican, Catalan, Friulian) and other Germanic languages (German, Swedish, DanishBarmherzigkeit, barmhärtighet and barmhjertighed, respectively) tend to follow the Latin misericordia, lit. “misery-heart.”

Here are some other (back-) translations:

See also steadfast love.

righteous, righteousness

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:

  • Bambara, Southern Bobo Madaré, Chokwe (ululi), Amganad Ifugao, Chol, Eastern Maninkakan, Toraja-Sa’dan, Pamona, Batak Toba, Bilua, Tiv: “be straight”
  • Laka: “follow the straight way” or “to straight-straight” (a reduplicated form for emphasis)
  • Sayula Popoluca: “walk straight”
  • Highland Puebla Nahuatl, Kekchí, Muna: “have a straight heart”
  • Kipsigis: “do the truth”
  • Mezquital Otomi: “do according to the truth”
  • Huautla Mazatec: “have truth”
  • Yine: “fulfill what one should do”
  • Indonesian: “be true”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “do just so”
  • Anuak: “do as it should be”
  • Mossi: “have a white stomach” (see also happiness / joy)
  • 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)
  • Central Subanen: “wise-good” (source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. )
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “live well”
  • Mezquital Otomi: “goodness before the face of God” (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl: “the result of heart-straightening” (source: Nida 1947, p. 224)
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “entirely good” (when referred to God), “do good” or “not be a debtor as God sees one” (when referred to people)
  • Carib: “level”
  • Tzotzil: “straight-hearted”
  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “right and straight”
  • 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)
  • North Alaskan Inupiatun: “having sin taken away” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 144)
  • Nyamwezi: wa lole: “just” or “someone who follows the law of God” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Venda: “nothing wrong, OK” (Source: J.A. van Roy in The Bible Translator 1972, p. 418ff. )
  • 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)
  • “did what he should” (Eastern Highland Otomi)
  • “a clear man, good [man]” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004)

See also respectable, righteous, righteous (person), devout, and She is more in the right(eous) than I.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 21:21

The theme of this saying is that good behavior brings long life and honor; see also such verses as 3.1-4, 16. The verse is a single sentence.

“He who pursues righteousness and kindness”: The two qualities “righteousness and kindness” sum up a good life. “Righteousness” is the same term as in verse 3; see there for comments, and also 1.3. For “kindness” or “loyalty,” see the comments at 3.3 and 20.28. “He who pursues . . .” means the person who shows or tries to show the two qualities referred to: “. . . who seeks earnestly what is right and kind” (Scott) or “If you try to be kind and good” (Contemporary English Version).

“Will find life and honor”: In many languages it is not natural to use the verb “find” with terms like “life” and “honor” as its objects. The sense here is something like “have,” “receive,” or “experience”; or it may be more natural, for example, to express “find life” as “live a long life” (Good News Translation) and “find . . . honor” as “others will give you a big name.” As the Revised Standard Version footnote shows, the Hebrew text has “life and righteousness and honor,” while the Septuagint omits “and righteousness”; Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends keeping “righteousness” in the text (a “C” rating). This is the same Hebrew term that Revised Standard Version renders as “prosperity” in 8.18; see there for comments. New International Version and Revised English Bible express the last part of this line as “life, prosperity, and honor.” For “honor and righteousness” Good News Translation says, “others will respect you and treat you fairly.”

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 21:21)

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

  • Kupsabiny: “A person who seeks for righteousness and has mercy on people
    finds live/well-being, love and honor.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Followers of righteousness and unceasing love
    will have life,
    they will be honored by others.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “A man who really tries to live good and righteous will-live long and be-victorious, and the people will-honor him.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The one who puts-forth his ability to follow a righteous/just and merciful way-of-life, it is not righteousness only that he will have, but rather also he will live-and-live (connotes long and good life) and be-praised besides.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Those who always try to act in a fair and kind way toward others
    will live a long time and be honored/respected.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 21:21

21:21

In this proverb, the second line gives the rewards that are the result of pursuing good character traits.

21a He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion

21b finds life, righteousness, and honor.

21:21a

He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion: A person who pursues righteousness and loving devotion makes a deliberate effort to have or show these qualities in his life. He tries hard to do what is right and to show faithful love and kindness to other people.

righteousness: The word righteousness was last used in 21:3, where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “righteousness.”

loving devotion: This phrase has three aspects of meaning: loyalty, love, and kindness. It was last used in 20:28. If you are able to translate more than one aspect of meaning, you are encouraged to do so. For example:

faithful love (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
unfailing love (New Living Translation (2004))

Some other ways to translate 21:21a are:

He who strives to do good and kind deeds (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
He who perseveres in right conduct and loyalty (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Whoever tries to live right and be loyal (New Century Version)

21:21b

(New International Version (2011)) finds life, prosperity, and honor: There is a textual issue here:

(1) The Masoretic Text has three terms: life, righteousness/prosperity, and honor. For example:

attains life, success, and honor (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

(2) The LXX has two terms: life and honor. For example:

will find life and honor (New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most versions and scholars.

There are two ways to interpret the Hebrew word ṣǝdaqah, which the New International Version translates here as prosperity. The New International Version and Berean Standard Bible translate the same word as “righteousness” in 21:21a.

(1) The word means “prosperity ” or “success.” There is a deliberate wordplay between “righteousness” in 21:21a and its effect, “prosperity” in 21:21b. For example:

finds life, prosperity, and honour (Revised English Bible)

(2) The word means “righteousness ” or “uprightness.” The author wants to emphasize that a person who pursues a righteous character will attain it. For example:

will find life, righteousness, and honor (English Standard Version)

The Display follows interpretation (1). You may follow either interpretation. Both are well supported by versions and scholars. Whatever interpretation you choose, it is suggested that you add a footnote that gives both meanings. For example, if you choose interpretation (1), a possible footnote is:

(New International Version) life: In this context, the word life implies a long and good life. See the Good News Translation (quoted above).

(New International Version) prosperity: The Hebrew word that is used here can refer to righteous behavior. It can also refer to prosperity, a reward of righteousness. People who spoke Hebrew probably thought about both meanings when they read this verse.

If you decide to follow interpretation (2), the Good News Translation shows one way to avoid repeating the same term. For the whole verse, it has:

Be kind and honest and you will live a long life; others will respect you and treat you fairly.

(New International Version) honor: The word honor refers here to being respected by others in the community and having a good reputation.

© 2012, 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.