wine

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are translated as “wine” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “grape juice pressed long ago (= fermented)” or “strong water” (source: Daud Soesilo). In Guhu-Samane it is also translated as “strong water” (source: Ernest L. Richert in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 198ff. ), in Noongar as “liquor” (verbatim: “strong water”) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Hausa as ruwan inabi or “water of grapes” (with no indication whether it’s alcoholic or not — source: Mark A. Gaddis), in sar as kasə nduú or “grape drink” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin), or in Papantla Totonac and Coyutla Totonac as “a drink like Pulque” (for “Pulque,” see here ) (source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1971, p. 169ff. ).

In Swahili, Bible translations try to avoid local words for alcoholic drinks, because “drinking of any alcohol at all was one of the sins most denounced by early missionaries. Hence translators are uncomfortable by the occurrences of wine in the Bible. Some of the established churches which use wine prefer to see church wine as holy, and would not refer to it by the local names used for alcoholic drinks. Instead church wine is often referred to by terms borrowed from other languages, divai (from German, der Wein) or vini/mvinyo (from ltalian/Latin vino/vinum). Several translations done by Protestants have adapted the Swahili divai for ‘wine,’ while those done by Catholics use vini or mvinyo.” (Source: Rachel Konyoro in The Bible Translator 1985, p. 221ff. )

The Swahili divai was in turn borrowed by Sabaot and was turned into tifaayiik and is used as such in the Bible. Kupsabiny, on the other hand, borrowed mvinyo from Swahili and turned it into Finyonik. (Source: Iver Larsen)

In Nyamwezi, two terms are used. Malwa ga muzabibu is a kind of alcohol that people specifically use to get drunk (such as in Genesis 9:21) and ki’neneko is used for a wine made from grapes (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext).

In some Hindi translations (such as the Common Language version, publ. 2015 ), one term (dākharasa दाखरस — grape juice) is used when that particular drink is in the focus (such as in John 2) and another term (madirā मदिरा — “alcohol” or “liquor”) when drunkenness is in the focus (such as in Eph. 5:18).

In Mandarin Chinese, the generic term jiǔ (酒) or “alcohol(ic drink)” is typically used. Exceptions are Leviticus 10:9, Numbers 6:3, Deuteronomy 29:6, Judges 13:4 et al., 1 Samuel 1:15, and Luke 1:15 where a differentiation between weak and strong alcohol is needed. The Mandarin Chinese Union Version (2010) translates that as qīngjiǔ lièjiǔ (清酒烈酒) and dànjiǔ lièjiǔ (淡酒烈酒), both in the form of a Chinese proverb and meaning “light alcohol and strong drink.” (Source: Zetzsche)

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about wine in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also proceeds from the vine / anything that comes from the grapevine, wine (Japanese honorifics), filled with new wine, and wine (Gen 27:28).

drink

In Telugu different verbs for humans drinking (tāgu / తాగు) and animals drinking (cēḍu / చేడు) are required.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 31:6

The argument that continues in verses 6 and 7 is that it is all right for people who are suffering bodily pain and mental distress to use intoxicating drinks, but “not for kings” (verse 4).

“Give strong drink to him who is perishing”: “Strong drink” and “wine” are the same terms as in verse 4. “Give” is an imperative, but in the context of the whole saying this does not seem to be a command to go and supply alcohol to all the people mentioned in verses 6 and 7. It is rather that “alcohol is [useful] for those who are. . .”; see Good News Translation and also Contemporary English Version “Beer and wine are only for. . ..” “Him who is perishing” is taken by many to mean “someone about to die” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “people who are dying” (Good News Translation).

“And wine to those in bitter distress”: This adds another group to those mentioned in the previous line. “In bitter distress” is literally “to those who are bitter of soul”; Scott renders this as “whose life is bitter,” New International Version “who are in anguish,” Good News Translation “who are in misery,” and Contemporary English Version “who have lost all hope.” Languages often have their own idiomatic ways of expressing discouraged people, such as “people who have big heavy things.”

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 31:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 31:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “Beer is for people whose lives have become bitter and those who are about to die.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “As for liquor, it is for those about to die of sorrow,
    and for the broken-hearted.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Let- the people -drink who have now lost hope and their feeling were-hurt, so-that they could forget their poverty and difficulties.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Those that are-to-be-given intoxicating-things are those who are close-to dying and whose sorrow is extreme” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying
    and to those who are greatly distressed/suffering very much.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 31:6

31:6

This verse contrasts with the warning that kings should avoid drinking. Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

6a Give strong drink to one who is perishing,

6b and wine to the bitter in soul.

There is an ellipsis in 31:6b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing verb from 31:6a. For example:

6b and ⌊give⌋ wine to the bitter in soul.

Notice that the underlined parts occur in the opposite order from the parts in 31:4a and 31:4b.

31:6a–b

Give: In Hebrew, the command Give is plural. In this context, there are two main ways to interpret this plural verb:

(1) The verb Give is meant literally. It advises kings to provide beer and wine to suffering people in their kingdoms. For example:

Give(plur) intoxicating drinks to people who are perishing
-or-
Kings should give beer to people who are dying

(2) The verb Give is not meant literally as advice to kings. It introduces a statement that beer and wine are appropriate drinks for suffering people. For example:

Alcohol is for people who are dying (Good News Translation)
-or-
Let beer be for those who are perishing (New International Version (2011))

The Display will follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars. However, it is also acceptable to follow interpretation (2) in your translation, especially if that is the interpretation followed in a language of wider communication.

strong drink…wine: In these two lines, the king is advised to supply intoxicating drink to people who are suffering. See the notes on 31:4a–b for the words strong drink and wine.

one who is perishing…the bitter in soul: The first phrase refers to people who are dying. The second phrase refers to people who are suffering physical pain or emotional distress. Some other ways to translate these phrases are:

someone about to die…him whose heart is heavy (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
one who is dying…those struggling with life’s harsh realities (The Voice)
-or-
the dying…those who have lost all hope (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
people who are dying…those who are sad (New Century Version)

General Comment on 31:6a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in these lines. For example:

Kings should give beer and wine to the dying or to those who have lost all hope.

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