Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

the nature of ... riches

English answer:

the nature of the concept of riches / what things are to be regarded as riches

Added to glossary by Ana Juliá
May 3, 2016 11:35
8 yrs ago
English term

the nature of ... riches

English Art/Literary Religion About the book of Proverbs
Prov 24:3–4 Saying Twenty. The images of wisdom’s benefits (a house . . . built, established, and filled) include material provision in addition to a blessed family life. However, the means by which they are received (by wisdom, understanding, and knowledge) are presented in Proverbs as stemming from the fear of the Lord. Thus ***the nature of and posture toward riches*** is always to be governed by the priority of pursuing wisdom.

How can the nature of riches be governed by the priority of pursuing wisdom?

Responses

+3
36 mins
Selected

the nature of the concept of riches / what things are to be regarded as riches

Phil's stricture is not entirely unjustified; you could object that this is loosely expressed. But I don't think it's that bad. Things are only riches if people consider them so; the idea of riches is of attributing value to things. The intrinsic nature of the things themselves, the nature of gold, for example, can't be affected by wisdom. But the nature of the idea of riches, in the sense of the nature of the value we attribute to things that makes them riches, and by extension the nature of the kind of things to which we do or should attribute such value, certainly is affected by wisdom. What the writer means here, I think, is that wisdom must guide us in deciding what things are riches, what things are to be valued.
Peer comment(s):

agree Robert Forstag
1 hr
Thanks, Robert :)
agree Ashutosh Mitra
1 hr
Thanks, Ashutosh :)
agree JaneTranslates : Absolutely. As usual, you wrote just what I wanted to write, and you did it sooner and better. Wise people (I aspire to be one--haven't made it yet) and unwise ones certainly define "riches" differently.
3 hrs
Thank you very much, Jane :)
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks again!"
+3
5 mins

It can't.

This is just bad writing.
If you're translating this, I suggest leaving out "the nature of" and putting a note explaining why - it doesn't make sense.
Peer comment(s):

agree Yasutomo Kanazawa
24 mins
agree acetran
21 hrs
agree AllegroTrans
1 day 7 hrs
Something went wrong...
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search