Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006.
For: Translators should begin this verse with a connector such as “For” or “Because.”
For the Lord our God, see Bar 1.10.
We in will we praise is inclusive.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.
At this point the poem returns to the thought of its first portion in 3.9-14. It is a good place for a paragraph break if translating in prose form.
She is the book of the commandments of God …: She must be clearly identified as Wisdom at this point, as in Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version. Wisdom is here clearly equated with the Torah, the Law of Moses (compare Sir 24.23). In a number of languages it will be difficult to talk about Wisdom being a book. In such cases we may say something like “Wisdom is found in the book of God’s laws…” (Contemporary English Version), “You can find Wisdom in the book…,” or even “You can learn how to be wise from the book….” Note that even though the writer identifies Wisdom with the Torah in this context, the immediate reference for all the feminine pronouns in verses 1-2 is to Wisdom.
The book of the commandments of God, and the law that endures for ever may be rendered “the book that contains God’s laws and teachings that will last forever.”
All who hold her fast will live: This may be translated “Everyone who follows her carefully will live” (similarly Contemporary English Version) or “Everyone who carefully follows the teachings in that book will live.”
Those who forsake her will die: Good News Translation is similar, but uses the word “abandon” and Contemporary English Version has “ignore.”
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• You can learn how to be wise from the book that contains God’s laws and teachings that will last forever. Everyone who carefully follows those teachings will live. Those who forsake them will die.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.
Just as she rejoiced at your fall and was glad for your ruin: The pronoun she refers back to “the city” in verse 32. Good News Translation named Babylon as the city in verse 32, and here refers back to it as “that city.” Contemporary English Version repeats “Babylon” from the previous verse. New English Bible has “The same city.”
So she will be grieved at her own desolation: Her own desolation is a prediction of the fall and depopulation of Babylon. It points forward to the first line of the next verse. In some languages her own desolation may be rendered “she is now empty of people,” or translators may express the whole line as “now she will be mourning when she herself lies empty with no people in her.”
In rendering this verse, both Good News Translation and New English Bible have insight (see above), which can be combined effectively as follows:
• That same city that rejoiced when you fell, that took such delight in your ruin, will be mourning when she herself is deserted [or, stands empty].
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.
They are just like a beam of the temple: The introductory phrase They are is literally “It is” (see Revised Standard Version footnote), and the whole clause is “It is the case with these gods as it is with a [wooden] beam of the temple.” This can be reduced as in Revised Standard Version. Contemporary English Version has a helpful rendering with “These idols are nothing but wood, just like the beams in the temple.”
But men say their hearts have melted: The Greek is confusing here, and unfortunately this is reflected in some translations like Revised Standard Version. We can be misled here at several points. The connector but expresses a contrast between the fact that the idols are nothing more than pieces of wood, and the fact that their Babylonian worshipers (men) treat them as if they had human body parts. Hearts refers here simply to the interior of a piece of wood, whether a beam in the temple or an idol. There are no emotional overtones to it. The Greek verb translated melted is better translated “eaten away” (Good News Translation), that is, by the termites or whatever.
When worms from the earth devour them: Worms from the earth is literally “crawling creatures from the earth.” But creatures that come out of the dirt and devour wood are “termites” (Good News Translation). The author could hardly be referring to anything else. Describing the beam as “wooden beams” (Good News Translation) helps complete the picture for the reader.
Good News Translation makes the verse easier to follow by putting the first clause (They are just like …) after the next two clauses (but men say … when worms …). The restructuring in Good News Translation is quite good, but if translators want to carry through with the irony in the use of the term heart, it could be approached in this way: “Their hearts—as if they had any—are eaten away by termites, just like the wooden beams of the temple.” This would get the effect of men say across.
The Greek word for robes refers to whatever “clothing” has been put on the idol. The word does not indicate any particular type of garment.
They do not notice: This clause can be taken with the previous clause (the idols are not aware that they are being eaten) or with the following one (the idols are not aware they are getting covered with soot). Revised Standard Version and Contemporary English Version take it with what follows (also New Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, Moore). Good News Translation takes it with the previous clause (also New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). It is simply the translator’s choice. The meaning of the Greek verb here is that the idols do not sense whatever is going on; they do not perceive, through any of the senses, what is happening to them. They are unaware.
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• These idols are only wood, just like the beams of the temple. So their hearts—as if they had any—are eaten away by termites. Their clothing is also eaten. They don’t even realize it.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.
Who then can fail to know that they are not gods?: This is the refrain again, but in a rather different form. This time the Greek text is not certain (see Revised Standard Version footnote). There are two forms of text for this verse, which are literally “By what is it [not] to be known that they are not gods?” and “To whom is it [not] known that they are not gods?” The negative word in square brackets is in doubt; the rest of the difference between the two forms is due simply to the presence or absence of a single letter. Scholars prefer the second form, with the negative. This form lies behind both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. Good News Translation, however, expresses the question as a statement. It also joins this verse to the previous one, an approach that we argued against in the comments on verse 51. It is certainly legitimate, however, to express the meaning of the rhetorical question as a statement. This can be retained by translating this verse as a separate sentence. Contemporary English Version is a good model: “Everyone will realize that they are not gods.”
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.
If integrated into the book of Daniel: 3.34
At this point the mood of the prayer shifts from repentance and submission to a petition for mercy. If one is translating in poetic form, a stanza break would be appropriate here; or there should be a paragraph break if it is prose.
For thy name’s sake: The Jewish people are God’s witnesses in history. Therefore, for God to allow them to continue in a state of shameful oppression diminishes God’s own dignity. So for thy name’s sake can be translated “for the sake of your own honor” (Good News Translation) or “for the sake of your reputation” (Contemporary English Version). In certain languages some restructuring will be necessary using an “If” clause: “If you do not want to lose your reputation [or, honor].”
Do not give us up utterly may be rendered “do not … abandon us forever” (Good News Translation).
Do not break thy covenant: A covenant is an agreement, usually an arrangement between God and his people, in which the terms of the agreement are imposed by God. Good News Translation clarifies this clause somewhat by adding “with us,” but it could be clearer. “Us” refers to the Jewish people, not to Azariah, Mishael, and Hananiah. Azariah wishes God not to break (or, annul/repudiate) the agreement of long standing he has had with Judah. The idea could be expressed in positive terms: “keep your agreement with [or, promise to] us.”
An alternative translation model for the verse is:
• If you do not want to lose your reputation [or, honor], please keep your agreement with [or, promise to] us; do not abandon us forever.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.
If integrated into the book of Daniel: 3.68
Dews and snows: New English Bible expands this phrase by saying “dews and falling snow.”
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.
If integrated into the book of Daniel: 13.11.
For they were ashamed to disclose is translated “for each was ashamed to admit” by Good News Translation. Instead of “ashamed,” it is more appropriate to say “embarrassed” in this context.
Their lustful desire to possess her: Moore and Collins both translate to possess her as “to have intercourse with her,” which is what the Greek means. New Jerusalem Bible is fairly explicit, though still delicate: “to sleep with her.” The same idiom will be used in verse 39 (see the comments there). Compare Jdt 12.16.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.