Instead of repeating voice four times and using the plural form (voices) once, it is possible to combine them and be more economical, as in Good News Translation. It is not natural in some languages to use voice without an agent (as in voice of mirth). In such cases, translators can say something like “the sounds of happy people” or “the sounds of people laughing.”

For the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, see 7.34. Mirth is used elsewhere in 15.16 (Revised Standard Version “joy”); 16.9; 25.10; 31.13 (Revised Standard Version “joy”); 33.9 (Revised Standard Version “joy”). Gladness is found elsewhere in 15.16 (Revised Standard Version “delight”); 16.9; 25.10; 31.7; 48.33 (Revised Standard Version “joy”).

The voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride: See 7.34. This is represented in Good News Translation by “the happy sounds of wedding feasts.” Translators can also say “the happy sounds of people getting married” or “the happy sound of people at a wedding.”

The voices of those who sing, as they bring back thank offerings to the house of the LORD: Once again the order of the Hebrew is unnatural for English readers in that the voices of those who sing is separated from the content of the song by the clause as they bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD. Good News Translation makes the meaning clear with “You will hear people sing … they will say….” Another way to render it is “People will bring thank offerings to my temple. They will be singing….” For thank offerings, see 17.26.

Give thanks to the LORD of hosts …: Translators should attempt to render in such a manner as to indicate that this and the following two lines are the content of the song that is sung by those bringing thank offerings to the house of the LORD. The song expresses liturgical forms used in the temple service (see 1Chr 16.34; 2Chr 5.13; 7.3, 6; Ezra 3.11; Psa 106.1).

The LORD of hosts: See 2.19.

Steadfast love: See 2.2, where Revised Standard Version has “devotion.” If it is unnatural to speak of love being eternal, translators can have “He will love you forever.”

Says the LORD: See 1.8.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .