separate the wheat from the chaff

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The figurative sense is by extension from the literal sense, which is threshing. Because threshing has been an important activity for humans for thousands of years, it is well represented both in folk wisdom and (relatedly) in the Bible; for example, Matthew 3:12.

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Chinese Mandarin: 分清良莠 (fēnqīng liángyǒu) — to select only that which is of value
• Czech: oddělit zrno od plev — to select only that which is of value
• Danish: skille klinten fra hveden — to select only that which is of value
• Dutch: het kaf van het koren scheiden — to select only that which is of value
• Finnish: erottaa jyvät akanoista — to select only that which is of value
• French: séparer le bon grain de l'ivraie — to select only that which is of value
• German: die Spreu vom Weizen trennen — to select only that which is of value
• Greek: διαχωρίζω την ήρα από το στάρι (diachorízo tin íra apó to stári) — to select only that which is of value
• Hebrew: לָבוּר אֶת הַבָּר מִן הַתֶּבֶן (lavúr et habár min hatéven) — to select only that which is of value
• Hungarian: elválasztja/szétválasztja az ocsút a búzától — to select only that which is of value
• Icelandic: skilja hismið frá kjarnanum — to select only that which is of value
• Irish: an grán a scaradh ón lóchán — to select only that which is of value
• Italian: separare il grano dalla pula — to select only that which is of value
• Italian: separare il buono dal cattivo — to select only that which is of value
• Japanese: もみがらから麦をより分ける (momigara kara mugi o yoriwakeru) — to select only that which is of value
• Japanese: 良いものと悪いものを分ける (yoi mono to warui mono o wakeru) — to select only that which is of value
• Norwegian Bokmål: skille klinten fra hveten — to select only that which is of value
• Polish: oddzielać ziarno od plew — to select only that which is of value
• Polish: oddzielić ziarno od plew — to select only that which is of value
• Portuguese: separar o trigo do joio — to select only that which is of value
• Portuguese: separar o joio do trigo — to select only that which is of value
• Russian: отделя́ть зёрна от пле́вел (otdeljátʹ zjórna ot plével) — to select only that which is of value
• Russian: отдели́ть зёрна от пле́вел (otdelítʹ zjórna ot plével) — to select only that which is of value
• Russian: му́хи отде́льно, котле́ты отде́льно (múxi otdélʹno, kotléty otdélʹno) — to select only that which is of value
• Russian: отдели́ть а́гнцев от ко́злищ (otdelítʹ ágncev ot kózlišč) — to select only that which is of value
• Spanish: apartar el grano de la paja — to select only that which is of value
• Spanish: separar la paja del trigo — to select only that which is of value
• Spanish: separar el trigo de la paja — to select only that which is of value
• Swedish: skilja agnarna från vetet — to select only that which is of value