grain

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “grain” (or: “corn”) is translated in Kui as “(unthreshed) rice.” Helen Evans (in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) explains: “Padddy [unthreshed rice] is the main crop of the country and rice the staple diet of the people, besides which [grain] is unknown and there is no word for it, and it seemed to us that paddy and rice in the mind of the Kui people stood for all that corn meant to the Jews.” “Paddy” is also the translation in Pa’o Karen (source: Gordon Luce in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 153f. ).

Other translations include: “wheat” (Teutila Cuicatec), “corn” (Lalana Chinantec), “things to eat” (Morelos Nahuatl), “grass corn” (wheat) (Chichimeca-Jonaz) (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), “millet” (Lambya) (source: project-specific notes in Paratext), “food” (Nyamwezi) (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)or ntimumma lujia / “seeds for food” (Lokạạ — “since Lokạạ does not have specific terms for maize and rice that can be described as grains”) (source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

Translation commentary on Proverbs 27:22

This saying expresses the futility of trying to remove folly from a fool.

“Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain”: In Hebrew this line is expressed as a conditional clause, “If you crush a fool. . .” or “Though you may crush a fool. . ..” As used here a “mortar” is a strong container, often made by hollowing out a log, in which grains such as rice or corn are pounded with a stick called a “pestle”. This process also separates inedible husks from the grain. Some interpreters consider the first line too long and suggest that “along with crushed grain” has been added later. However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates this phrase as “B” and recommends translating “If you crush a fool in a mortar along with the grain with a pestle. . ..” If “mortar” and “pestle” are unknown, translators may consider saying something like “Even if you crush [or, grind] a fool in the same way as you crush grain. . ..”

“Yet his folly will not depart from him”: This line states the negative consequence, which we may translate, for example, “his foolishness will not leave him” or “you will not be able to get rid of his foolishness.”

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 27:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 27:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “Even if a foolish person is beaten almost to death,
    his foolishness does not go far from him.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Put fools in a mortar
    and grind them like uncooked rice
    [but] even if [they] are ground
    they will not forsake their folly.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Even-though how/whatever you (sing.) punish a foolish man, you (sing.) can- never -remove his foolishness.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Even though you (sing.) pound-(with-a-pestle) a foolish-person, his foolishness will not be removed.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Even if you beat/crush a fool severely like you pulverize grain with a pestle,
    you probably will not be able to cause him to stop being foolish/doing foolish things.” (Source: Translation for Translators)