18:12a–13d
These verses list different cargoes that the merchants were selling. In some languages it is more natural to translate this long list using several sentences. If that is true in your language, you may need to add a verb or introductory phrase at the beginning of each sentence. See the second meaning line in the Display.
18:12a
gold: The word gold refers to a rare metal of a somewhat yellow color. It was the most expensive metal at that time. It is naturally shiny and beautiful. See how you translated this word in 1:12 or 17:4.
silver: The word silver refers to somewhat expensive metal, though it is not as rare and expensive as gold. When polished, it was used as a mirror. It was used in coins and decorations. See how you translated this word in 9:20.
precious stones: This phrase refers to rare stones that are naturally beautiful or become beautiful when shaped and polished. These rare stones are precious or expensive. See how you translated this word in 17:4.
pearls: The word pearls refers to hard, shiny spheres found in the shellfish called oysters. The spheres are often very beautiful. Good ones are very valuable. See how you translated this word in 17:4.
18:12b
fine linen: Here the word fine indicates that the linen was of very good quality. Natural linen is tan, gray, or the color of ivory. It can be bleached white. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
high quality linen ⌊clothing⌋
-or-
very good linen ⌊clothing⌋
-or-
expensive linen ⌊clothing⌋
linen: This word refers to expensive cloth made from a plant called flax. The cloth is smooth and strong yet soft.
In some languages people are not familiar with linen. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain this word in your translation. For example:
flax cloth
-or-
smooth cloth
• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. Here are example footnotes:
Linen is an expensive cloth made from a plant called flax. The cloth is smooth and strong yet soft.
-or-
See footnote on linen at 15:6.
purple: Purple cloth was very expensive at that time because the dye used to make purple cloth was very difficult to get. You may want to explain its value in your translation. For example:
⌊expensive⌋ purple cloth
silk: This word refers to a cloth made from the threads of silkworm cocoons. The cloth is soft, shiny, and expensive.
In some languages people are not familiar with silk. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain this cloth in your translation. For example:
⌊beautiful⌋ silk cloth
-or-
⌊expensive⌋ shiny cloth
• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Silk is a cloth made from the threads of silkworm cocoons. The cloth is soft, shiny, and expensive.
scarlet: This word refers to cloth of a bright red color. It was less expensive than purple cloth.
citron wood: The phrase citron wood refers to a hardwood with a pleasant smell. It is used to make furniture.
In some languages people are not familiar with citron wood. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain this wood in your translation. For example:
⌊good smelling⌋ citron wood
-or-
⌊expensive/valuable and fragrant⌋ hardwood
• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. For example:
Citron wood is a hardwood that has a pleasant smell that is used to make furniture.
18:12c
ivory: The word ivory refers to pieces of the tusks (very big teeth) of elephants, walruses, and other animals. It is creamy white and hard. It is often carved into various shapes.
In some languages people are not familiar with ivory. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain ivory in your translation. For example:
large pieces of animal teeth
-or-
animal tusks
• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Ivory comes from the tusks of elephants, walruses, and other animals. It is creamy white and hard. It is often carved into various shapes.
bronze: This word refers to a metal made from a mixture of copper and tin. The Greek word also refers to pure copper or brass. (Brass is a mixture of copper and zinc.) The metal called bronze is a yellowish-brown color. Copper is a reddish-brown metal color. Some kinds of coins are made of bronze or copper. (The other common color of coins is silver.)
In some languages people are not familiar with bronze, copper, or brass. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain the word in your translation. For example:
⌊brown/tan metal called⌋ bronze
-or-
⌊reddish brown metal called⌋ copper
• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:
brown/tan metal
-or-
reddish brown metal
• Use the major language word.
See how you translated this word in 1:15 or 9:20.
iron: This word refers to a hard metal. It was the strongest metal known at that time. Good quality weapons and many other things were made of iron.
In some languages people are not familiar with iron. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain iron in a footnote. (But if you have a footnote about iron at 12:5b, you may not want to repeat it here.) For example:
Iron is a hard metal. It was the strongest metal known at that time.
• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, you may want to explain it in a footnote as above.
• Describe it in your translation. For example:
hard metal
See how you translated this word in 9:9 or 12:5.
marble: This word refers to a kind of stone. It is somewhat hard. It is often white or gray with other colors scattered throughout the stone in irregular lines or spots. It is very beautiful when polished, and can be carved into various shapes.
In some languages people are not familiar with marble. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain the word in your translation. For example:
veined stone called marble
-or-
variegated stone
• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Marble is a stone with irregular lines of another color spread throughout the stone. Marble is very beautiful when polished, and it can be carved into various shapes.
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