Translation commentary on Proverbs 8:34

“Happy is the man who listens to me”: “Happy” is the same as in verse 32. “Man” translates the Hebrew ʾadam, which refers to anyone and not exclusively to an adult male. New Revised Standard Version says “Happy is the one who. . ..” Note the plural form in Good News Translation.

“Watching daily at my gates”: “Watching” means keeping watch or being vigilant. “Daily” is literally “day day.” “Gates” can refer to the door of a house or room, or to the gates at the entrance to a town. In light of the figurative use of 9.1, it is best to take “gates” as referring to the door or entry to Wisdom’s house. New English Bible/Revised English Bible say “threshold,” which refers to the stone or plank that lies under the door. It is used poetically as an equivalent to “entrance” or “doorway.”

Some take the image of “watching . . . gates” to refer to suitors (male lovers) waiting to be joined to their love, Wisdom. Others see Wisdom as keeping the members of her court waiting outside the gates of her palace. Still others suppose those at the door are students coming daily for instruction.

“Waiting beside my doors”: “Waiting” matches “watching” in the second line. Here the element of hope or anticipation is added. Those waiting expect to receive something from Wisdom. “Doors” is literally “doorposts of my doors” in which “doorposts” are the upright timbers between which the door swings. This more detailed form is only the usual variation in the parallel line. It does not change the meaning of “doors” in the previous line. Bible en français courant offers a model translation: “Happy are those who listen to me, who are present every day at my door and who keep vigil at the entrance of my house.”

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 8:34)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 8:34:

  • Kupsabiny: “Blessed is the person who listens to (the) words I say, and comes to my house always and waits for me.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The ones who listen to Me,
    the ones who come to me [Lit.: to my house],
    and the ones who always
    come to my gates will get to rejoice.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Blessed is the man who always watches and waits to listen to me.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Fortunate is the one who comes daily to my house to listen to my advice.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also pronoun for “God”.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 8:34

8:34

In this verse, the last two lines are similar in meaning. They both indicate in figurative language the attitude of a person who is eager to listen to Wisdom.

34a Blessed is the man who listens to me,

34b
watching daily at my doors,

34c
waiting at the posts of my doorway.

8:34a

Blessed is the man who listens to me: For the word Blessed, see 8:32b. For the verb listens, see 1:8a.

8:34b–c

watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway: The two verbs translated here as watching and waiting overlap in meaning. Both can mean “to watch.” When they are used as parallel terms, the first verb emphasizes paying careful attention, and the second verb stresses being alert or watchful. These two lines describe a person who alertly keeps watch outside the door of Wisdom’s house. He does this so that he may take advantage of every opportunity to enter the house, meet with her, and listen to her words.

doors…doorway: The first term is literally “gates.” The second term refers to the “doorpost” in a doorway. However, in this context, these terms function together as synonyms. No difference in meaning is intended. Both terms refer to the door, doorway, or entrance to Wisdom’s house. In some languages, it may not be necessary to specify “door” or “doorway.” That idea may be implicit in the statement about watching outside Wisdom’s house. See the Display for 8:34a–c (combined/reordered).

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