The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “listen” or “pay attention” or something similar in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) with the idiom tcherani khutu, literally “you set ear.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Translation commentary on Proverbs 4:1
“Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction”: “Hear” is the same as in 1.8, where the command is in the singular. In this verse it is addressed in the plural to “sons”, which Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version render as “children.” Contemporary English Version keeps the singular “my child.” “O” is included in some English translations to indicate that the “sons” are being formally addressed; there is nothing equivalent in the Hebrew text. Some interpreters think that the plural “sons” represents here a school or circle of students or listeners. Note, however, that only the singular form “my son” is used in verses 10 and 20.
In 1.8 “father” is the father of the son being addressed. In this context the father is general, that is, “a father”. Some interpreters think that “a father” is not to be taken literally but figuratively in the sense of “teacher” or “wise person.” It must, however, be kept in mind that the intimate relation of father (and mother) to the learner is signaled by these kinship terms and that learning wisdom is part of a family inheritance, as seen in verses 3-4.
In verse 2 the speaker refers to himself using first person pronouns as the one who gives teaching and instruction. So it seems likely that “a father” in this verse is also a reference to the speaker. Therefore Contemporary English Version replaces “a father’s instruction” with “my teachings.” An example of the way the first person reference is handled in some other translations is “[My] child, I am your father, and you must listen to the things I teach you.”
“Instruction” renders the same word used in 1.8 and has the sense of teaching or the content of what the father teaches his sons. See also 1.2.
“And be attentive, that you may gain insight”: “Be attentive” renders a word used mostly in poetic texts. It is used, for example, in Psa 17.1 “attend to my cry,” which is expressed in Good News Translation as “pay attention to my cry for help.” In translation it may be necessary to indicate what the sons are to pay attention to, for example, “Pay attention to what I teach you” or “Listen carefully to my words.”
“Gain insight”: Note that the Revised Standard Version footnote shows the Hebrew text is literally “know insight.” The thought is that the learner will know the deep and important meanings revealed in wisdom and its instructions. “Insight”, as in 1.2, refers to understanding, discernment, or comprehension. Bible en français courant says “and you will know how to be intelligent.” It is also possible to render this line “If you listen well, you will become intelligent.”
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 4:1)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 4:1:
- Kupsabiny: “My children, listen to the words that your father teaches and be attentive to those words in order to become wise.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “O my son, listen to your father’s words!
Pay attention to this and gain foresight.” (Source: Newari Back Translation) - Hiligaynon: “Children, you (plur.) listen carefully to the straightening of your (plur.) father of your (plur.) behavior, so-that you (plur.) will-learn-(something).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “My child, be-thorough/diligent to listen to the advice of a father so-that you (sing.) come-to-have understanding.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 4:1
Section 4:1–9
Fifth lesson: You will gain many benefits if you acquire and value wisdom
This lesson begins with an introduction (4:1–4a) that exhorts the listeners to pay attention to their father’s words. It is followed by the main part of the lesson (4:4b–9) about the benefits of acquiring wisdom. This main part is unusual, because it quotes the words that the speaker’s father taught him when he was a boy.
Some other headings for this section are:
A Father’s Wise Advice (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
The Benefits of Wisdom (Good News Translation)
-or-
Wisdom Is Important (New Century Version)
Paragraph 4:1–9
4:1
Notice the parallelism. The first two commands are similar in meaning. The phrase “gain understanding” gives the purpose or result of these commands.
1a
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
1b
pay attention and gain understanding.
4:1a–b
Listen…pay attention: These parallel commands have almost the same meaning. The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as pay attention means to listen carefully. It implies that the person who listens will heed or obey what he hears. Different forms of this word also occur in 1:24b and 2:2a.
4:1a
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction: This command is very similar to 1:8a. The command in 1:8a has “my son” (singular) and “your father’s instruction.”
my sons: This is the first lesson that is addressed to plural sons. Notice that the preceding and following lessons are addressed to a singular “son.” (See 5:7–8 and 7:24a–b for other instances where plural sons occurs in a similar context.)
Most scholars think that the change from singular to plural does not imply an actual change in the audience. It may be the author’s way to remind us that when he instructs his “son,” he is actually instructing all of his readers.
If a change from singular to plural will confuse your readers, some translation options are:
• Use singular forms throughout this chapter, as the Contemporary English Version has done. If you follow this option, you may want to add a footnote that says:
In Hebrew, it says, “my sons.” This phrase probably refers to the same person(s) as “my son” in 3:1, 3:11, 3:21, 4:10, and 4:20. When the writer speaks like a father who is advising his son, he is also advising all who read the book of Proverbs.
• Use the plural, as the Berean Standard Bible has done, and add an explanation in a footnote. A suggested footnote is:
In Hebrew, the writer used the words “my son” in chapter 3 and in the rest of chapter 4. Here in 4:1, he used the words “my sons.” Some scholars think that he did this to remind us that his “son” represents all who read the book of Proverbs.
a father’s instruction: The speaker himself is clearly the father who is referred to here. See the notes on 1:8a–b and 1:8a. In some languages, it may be necessary to use a first person pronoun to make explicit that the father is the one who is speaking. For example:
My children, listen to me. Listen to your father’s instruction. (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
My child, listen closely to my teachings (Contemporary English Version)
instruction: The word musar, which the Berean Standard Bible translates here as instruction, refers to moral teaching or advice (see the note on 1:2a).
4:1b
and gain understanding: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and gain understanding is literally “to know understanding.” It may introduce either the purpose or the result of the preceding commands.
Some ways to introduce this phrase as a purpose are:
in order to gain understanding (God’s Word)
-or-
so you will understand (New Century Version)
Some ways to introduce this phrase as a result are:
and then you will gain understanding
-or-
If you do this, you will gain understanding.
You may introduce this phrase as a purpose or a result in your language. Both fit the context well.
understanding: The Hebrew word binah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates here as understanding, refers to the ability to interpret and comprehend concepts, to draw conclusions, and to understand the relationship between things. Other ways to translate this word are:
discernment (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
insight (Revised Standard Version)
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