Translation commentary on Proverbs 22:11

The structure of this verse is strange, and commentators suggest that the text is defective because it has been “damaged in transmission” (Scott). In contrast with the insulting speech and its consequences referred to in verse 10, this saying commends sincerity and gracious speech. In translating this verse the Hebrew structure “He who. . .” may also be expressed as “Whoever. . .” or “If a person . . . then. . ..”

“He who loves purity of heart”: “Purity of heart” means “integrity,” “pure motives,” or “sincerity.” Most versions either follow Revised Standard Version with “purity of heart” or “whose heart is pure,” or express “He who loves purity of heart” with something like “a person who is sincere.” The Septuagint adds “the Lord” at the beginning of this line, making the line say “The Lord loves a person to be sincere” (Revised English Bible). However, most versions translate the text as we have it in Hebrew; and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends following the Hebrew (a “B” rating).

“And whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend”: The first expression in this line is literally “the grace of his lips.” Most versions render this like Revised Standard Version or say something like “and are gracious in speech” (New Revised Standard Version). Contemporary English Version “who . . . speak with kindness” also expresses the sense well. The final expression, “will have the king as his friend” is the main part of the sentence; as the text stands, all of the earlier part of the verse is the (double) subject of this main clause. In some versions the line arrangement is actually changed for the sake of balance; so New Revised Standard Version, for instance, has: “Those who love a pure heart and are gracious in speech will have the king as a friend.”

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 .

king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )