Translation commentary on Proverbs 23:34

This verse describes the broken, unsound sleep of the drinker. There are two pictures, both making a comparison of the unsteady brain of the drunk with the movement of a ship at sea.

“You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea”: The Revised Standard Version rendering is not very natural in English, and it seems to have the person in the water, either under the sea or on the surface of the sea. In the light of the next line, however, we should assume that the person is on board a ship that is “out at sea” (Revised English Bible) or “on the high seas” (New International Version). The picture is of someone sleeping, or trying to sleep, on a boat that is tossing about at sea. Good News Translation “seasick” is perhaps saying more than the text here.

“Like one who lies on the top of a mast”: As the footnote in Revised Standard Version indicates, the Hebrew of this line is difficult. But again the Revised Standard Version wording presents a rather comical picture. We must understand from “on the top of the mast” that the picture is of someone in the “crow’s nest” at the masthead or high up in the rigging of the ship; these are positions where people experience the greatest movement as a ship rolls at sea. New Jerusalem Bible “like one asleep at the mast-head” and Good News Translation “swinging high up in the rigging of a tossing ship” both express this clearly.

For people who are not familiar with the sea and ships, it may be hard to find comparable pictures to those here. In such cases translators may have to give a more straightforward description of the broken sleep of the drinker. For example, it may be possible to say something like “When you try to sleep your bed will seem to be rolling. You will feel like you are swaying from side to side, even in your bed.”

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 23:34)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 23:34:

  • Kupsabiny: “You will stagger like a person struck with panic and go around saying that,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “You will be like a sailor who is sailing on the ocean
    swinging from the mast of a ship.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Your (sing.) feeling as-if you (sing.) are in the midst of the ocean who lies-down on top of the mast of a ship.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You (sing.) will be already dizzy and your (sing.) thoughts will be confused/in-turmoil your (sing.)-illustration being one who goes-to-sleep in a ship in the middle of the ocean in the time of a typhoon.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 23:34

23:34

This verse uses two similes to describe the feelings or sensations of the person who is in a drunken stupor. He feels dizzy, nauseated, and unsteady. He may also toss and turn uncomfortably as he tries to sleep.

34a You will be like one sleeping on the high seas

34b
lying on top of a mast:

In Hebrew, these two lines are literally:

34a You will be like one who lies down in the heart of the sea,

34b and like one who lies down at the top of a mast.

Notice that the underlined parallel parts are identical in Hebrew. The Berean Standard Bible has used terms with similar meaning to avoid redundancy in English.

23:34a

You will be like one sleeping on the high seas: The first simile compares the drunk person to someone who lies down to sleep in a sailing ship in the middle of the ocean. It does not refer to someone who is literally lying down in the water. Some other ways to translate this line are:

You will feel ⌊dizzy⌋ , as if you are lying down in a ship ⌊during a storm⌋ .
-or-
You will feel like a person on a ship. ⌊You will turn/roll from side to side⌋ as you try to sleep.

23:34b

lying on the top of a mast: The second simile describes a specific location high above the deck of the ship. It may refer to the ropes that attach the sails to the mast (the rigging). It may also refer to a basket or small platform near the top of the mast of a sailing ship. Here a person would feel the rocking motion of the ship most strongly. Some other ways to translate this line are:

like one lying on top of the rigging (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
as if you’re on top of a ship’s sails (New Century Version)
-or-
like a person hanging on to the ropes at the highest part of the ship