Translation commentary on Nahum 3:5

The opening words of this verse, Behold, I am against you, are identical with those of 2.13. It is possible that in both cases they mark the beginning of a new paragraph, as the format of Revised Standard Version suggests (see comments on 2.13). Against this view is the fact that in both cases a metaphor begun in the previous verse is continued as if no break were intended. Good News Translation, like Revised Standard Version and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, begins a new paragraph at verse 5, but other versions (Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant) treat verses 4-7 as all one paragraph. On the whole, this second format seems preferable.

For comments on the opening words, see 2.13. Note that here in verse 5, the wording of Good News Translation is not exactly the same as in 2.13. The Good News Translation translators evidently thought that the words “I will punish you” fitted the present context better than the words they had used in 2.13. In cases like this translators should be aware of places where Hebrew wording is repeated, but they have to make their own decisions whether or not to use identical wording in their translation. The decision must be made according to the content of the passage and the stylistic needs of their own language. In general, where the Hebrew repeats itself, especially in longer passages (for example, 2 Kgs 18.13–20.19; and Isa 36–39), a translation should do the same unless there is good reason not to. Where the repeated section is shorter (as here), there is more room for variety in the translation, as the context may require.

I … will lift up your skirts over your face: the punishment which was to be given to the prostitute Nineveh was that given customarily to women who had been found guilty of adultery (compare Jer 13.26; Ezek 16.36-38; Hos 2.10). Her clothing (skirts) would be lifted up over her face so that her nakedness was exposed to view. Good News Translation drops the details about the way in which the clothing was raised, and expresses the meaning in a more general statement, “I will strip you naked.” This changes the meaning somewhat, as the skirt was probably not completely removed. If nakedness is mentioned, it will be necessary in some languages to use a euphemism in order not to give offense to readers.

I will let nations look on your nakedness and kingdoms on your shame: nakedness is here a euphemism for sexual organs. Just as the Assyrians had humiliated other nations, so now they in turn would be publicly humiliated.

The last line in Hebrew is parallel with the previous line, and one verb covers both lines: “I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame” (New International Version). Since there is no real difference in meaning between nations and kingdoms, Good News Translation drops the repetition but adds emphasis in a way which is more natural in English, by repeating the words “see you” in “see you in all your shame.” These three lines can be rendered as “I will pull your skirts up over your face, and make you ashamed by letting the nations see your private parts (or, sexual organs).”

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A . A Handbook on the Book of Nahum. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Zephaniah 2:3

Verses 1 and 2 give the negative, warning side of the call to repentance. Verse 3 gives the positive side in language that recalls that of Amos 5.6, 14-15. Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his commands: the expression Seek the LORD means “worship and obey the LORD.” The way in which this can be done is shown in more detail in the third line, seek righteousness, seek humility. The phrase humble of the land is practically a technical term to describe the minority who remain faithful to the LORD. In some languages “you humble people of the land” will be rendered as “you people of the land who trust the LORD.” In other languages the phrase will be translated as “all you who submit to the LORD,” “you people of the land who put your hearts in the LORD,” or “… who keep your hearts resting in the LORD.” The proof of those people’s dependence on the LORD is that they do his commands, even though the majority of the people ignore or reject them. These are the people Jesus spoke about in the Beatitudes, especially in Matthew 5.3, 5, 6. In some languages the clauses in this sentence may be ordered in a different way: “All you people of the land who trust in the LORD and obey the LORD’s commands, you must worship him.”

Seek righteousness, seek humility: this part of the verse in Hebrew is somewhat parallel to the first part, with repetition of the words seek and humble/humility. Good News Translation expands to “Do what is right, and humble yourselves before the LORD.” One may also say “Do right (or, correct) things, and keep your hearts humble (or, low) before the LORD” or “Do the things which the LORD wants you to do, and do not be proud (or, have swollen hearts) before him.”

Perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the wrath of the LORD: the prophet holds out some hope for the humble. Perhaps means that it is possible but not certain that the LORD will save them when his punishment falls upon his people (compare Amos 5.15). At any rate, no one can claim salvation as a right.

The word translated be hidden is a figure of speech which is not sufficiently clear on its own in English, so Good News Translation drops the figure and states the meaning in nonfigurative language as “escape punishment.” Most other modern English translations use some form of the word “shelter” which gives both the idea of hiding and that of protection (Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New English Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible). If translators can find a term with these implications in their own language, it will be suitable here, but if they cannot, then it is best to use nonfigurative language, as Good News Translation does.

The day of the wrath of the LORD refers to the same event as “the (great) day of the LORD” in 1.7, 14 and makes it even clearer that this will be a day of judgment. In English this longer expression is a little clumsy, and Good News Translation expresses it in more natural terms as “on the day when the LORD shows his anger.” It is also possible to translate this last sentence as “perhaps you will escape on the day when the LORD punishes mankind” or “perhaps you will not be punished by the LORD on the day when he punishes all people.”

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Zephaniah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Habakkuk 1:2

This verse has the grammatical form of a question but is really a way for Habakkuk to express his complaint. Translators should retain the form of a question, unless it will be misunderstood as a simple request for information. This is not just a rhetorical question, since the prophet does expect to get some response. This response is given in verses 5-11. Although the response deals with the question in a general way, it does not answer the question in the terms in which it is asked.

Verse 2 falls into two halves which are more or less parallel in meaning. In the first sentence the question how long echoes other parts of the Old Testament (compare Psa 13.1, 2; Jer 12.4). It implies that the problem has been troubling the speaker for a long time already. The words cry for help translate a single Hebrew word. In some languages translators will need to supply a goal or object of cry and say “cry to you to help.”

And thou wilt not hear implies that the LORD has given no response up to the present time, but does not imply that he never will respond. Indeed it is the hope that the LORD will eventually respond that makes the prophet keep on asking. This is brought out more clearly by Good News Translation, “how long must I call for help before you listen.” Revised Standard Version‘s rendering how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear will in some languages give the impression that the LORD has already been helping Habakkuk. On the contrary, the prophet now wants to know how much longer he must cry for help in order to stop the LORD from ignoring him. Therefore for many translators the use of the word “before” (Good News Translation) instead of and will be helpful.

Or cry to thee “Violence!” and thou wilt not save?: in the second sentence the word cry translates a different Hebrew verb from that used in the first sentence, and has a slight difference in emphasis. The previous verb means “to cry for help,” whereas this one means “to cry out in distress or horror.” Compare Moffatt “cry out … complain” and New International Version “call … cry out.” In some languages it is not easy to make this distinction, and many translators will need to do as Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, New English Bible, and Jerusalem Bible have done, and use the same word twice. The Hebrew word for “violence” is repeated in verses 3 and 9 and is one of the keywords which links the question (verses 2-4) with the answer (verses 5-11). Violence may also be rendered as “cruel deeds” or “hurtful actions.” The clause in Good News Translation “save us from violence” can then be translated as “help us to escape from those who would treat us cruelly” or “prevent our enemies from doing cruel things to us.” The exclusive pronoun “us” is not present in the Hebrew, but it is permissible to include it, because the prophet is speaking not only for himself but also for the minority of people in Judah, who are honest and who share his outlook. One can also say “before you save your people from violence.” See the above comment on the problem of translating Revised Standard Version‘s rendering of this verse literally. The word save is an important term in the Old Testament and is often used of the LORD’s mighty acts on behalf of his people. Habakkuk feels that such acts are badly needed in his own situation. (The same Hebrew root occurs in 3.8, 13, 18.) In some languages save will be rendered by a phrase; for example, “help us to escape” (see above comment on Violence).

Good News Translation has combined the two halves of the verse into one sentence. It has avoided repeating the verb phrase “call for help” and thus shortens the second half of the verse to “before you save us from violence.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• O LORD, I have been crying out to you for a long time to help me. When will you listen to me? When will you help me (or us [exclusive], or your people) to escape those who want to do cruel things to me (or us, or them)?

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Habakkuk. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Habakkuk 2:17

This verse gives the reason for the punishment pictured in verses 15 and 16. This is first of all the destruction carried out on the forests of Lebanon and on the wild animals that lived in them.

The violence done to Lebanon: Lebanon is probably best understood as referring to the area more or less the same as that occupied by the modern country of Lebanon. In particular, it refers to the Lebanon mountain range which in ancient times was covered with thick forest (see comments on Nahum 1.4). The trees, especially the cedars, were highly valued as timber for building. Ancient inscriptions agree with the Old Testament in recording that both the Assyrians (Isa 37.24) and the Babylonians (Isa 14.8) carried out large scale logging operations there. Cutting down forests means that the soil is eroded and the land becomes barren. These results justify the description of the Babylonian activities as violence done to Lebanon.

Will overwhelm you: in keeping with the theme of the taunts that the punishment of the Babylonians will fit their crime, Good News Translation translates “You have cut down the forests of Lebanon: now you will be cut down.” One may also say “You have cut down (or, destroyed) … now people will cut you down (or, destroy you).” If some similar word link can be found in other languages, it will be good to use it.

The destruction of the beasts will terrify you: the forests of Lebanon were a favorite place for hunting parties. When the forests were cut down, the wild animals were robbed of their homes and sources of food, and so diminished in number. This kind of thoughtless behavior by men was hateful to God, and the Babylonians were to be punished for it. Good News Translation expresses this in a manner roughly parallel to the first part of the verse: “You killed its animals; now animals will terrify you.”

The Revised Standard Version footnote indicates that the words terrify you follow the ancient Greek and Syriac translations. Good News Translation and almost all modern versions do the same, and translators into other languages should do so as well (compare Hebrew Old Testament Text Project).

The rest of the verse speaks of a further reason for the punishment of the Babylonians: they had killed people and destroyed cities. The words used are the same as in the second half of verse 8. See comments on verse 8.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Habakkuk. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Nahum 1:11

Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has a section heading at this point covering verses 11-14. It can be expressed in English as “The LORD will finally end the power of Assyria.”

Revised Standard Version translates this verse as a question, whereas in other major versions it is a statement. What Revised Standard Version has done here is to carry over into verse 11 the word which in Hebrew is the last word of verse 10, the word translated “utterly” in Revised Version, Jerusalem Bible. Revised Standard Version has also changed one letter of the Hebrew word and assumed different vowels. Instead of “utterly” Revised Standard Version‘s conjecture has the marker of a negative question, which accounts for the question form in Revised Standard Version. Since verse 11 makes sense without this change, translators are not recommended to follow it.

In Hebrew the opening words of the verse are from you, and Good News Translation adds the name “Nineveh” to make it explicit that the prophet is here addressing the capital city of Assyria (compare Bible en français courant). The rest of the sentence is an accusation expressed in Good News Translation as “From you … came a man full of wicked schemes, who plotted against the LORD.”

Who plotted evil against the LORD: the word for plotted is the same Hebrew word as that used in verse 9. The Hebrew says plotted evil, but because the word plotted already carries bad overtones, Good News Translation has left the word evil implicit. However, in languages which do not have a single word for “plotted,” it will be necessary to say something like “made evil plans” or “planned to do evil things against.” This description is generally understood to be a reference to Sennacherib, who was king of Assyria from 705 to 681 B.C. and who besieged Jerusalem in 701 in the days when Hezekiah was king of Judah (see 2 Kgs 18.13–19.37). The prophet considers action against the city of Jerusalem to be the same as action against the LORD.

Counseled villainy: the word translated villainy is the word which appears in other passages in the King James Version (King James Version) and in Revised Version as the name “Belial” (compare for instance Judges 19.22; 1 Sam 2.12; 1 Kgs 21.10; 2 Cor 6.15). Jerusalem Bible retains the word here as a name and translates “a man with the mind of Belial.” The word “Belial” means “worthlessness,” and in most languages it will be better to translate this meaning, since “Belial” as a name will not be very familiar to most readers. The words counseled villainy are expressed in more modern language in Good News Translation as “full of wicked schemes.” This phrase may be rendered in some languages as “who gave wicked (or, worthless) advice.”

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A . A Handbook on the Book of Nahum. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Nahum 3:16

You increased your merchants more than the stars of the heavens: Good News Translation expresses the meaning in more natural English as “You produced more merchants than there are stars in the sky!” The use of the stars of the heavens as an example of great quantity is common in Scripture (compare Gen 15.5; Exo 32.13; Deut 1.10; Heb 11.12). Nineveh was indeed a great commercial center where many merchants lived. Probably most communities in the world have the equivalent of merchants, those people who engage in buying and selling for profit. In some languages they are referred to as “shop (or, stall) owners (or, managers),” while in other languages they will be described idiomatically; for example, “fathers (or, mothers) who buy and sell.” But in still other languages it will be necessary to render this first sentence in a more general way and say “You increased the number of people who buy and sell until they were more numerous than the stars in the sky.”

The last part of the verse returns abruptly to the picture of the locusts: The locust (Hebrew yeleq) spreads its wings and flies away. Some scholars think that this sentence would be more appropriate near the end of verse 17, and some translations print it at that point (Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible). Others, however, try to show how it can fit here, and there is no need to move it. Good News Translation compares the merchants with locusts in the way they fly off: “But now they are gone, like locusts that spread their wings and fly away.” New International Version is even more explicit about the point of the comparison: “like locusts, they strip the land and then fly away.” It is often true that when danger threatens a city, the merchants are the first to leave and take themselves and their wealth off somewhere else.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A . A Handbook on the Book of Nahum. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Zephaniah 2:14

This verse describes in detail the condition of Nineveh after its fall. It is similar in theme to the descriptions of Ashkelon in verse 7, and of Moab and Ammon in verse 9. There are several textual problems in the verse, and some of the Hebrew words used are of uncertain meaning.

The first clause is relatively simple: Herds shall lie down in the midst of her. The Hebrew word which is translated herds refers to a group of domestic animals of any kind, whether cattle, sheep, or goats, or a mixture of these. The English word herds applies mainly to cattle, and the normal collective term in English for sheep and goats is “flocks” (compare Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible). So in order to include both types of animal, Good News Translation uses both the term “flocks” and the term “herds” (compare New International Version).

All the beasts of the field: the Hebrew text actually says “all the beasts of the nations,” as in King James Version and Revised Version, and Revised Standard Version is here following the Aramaic translation, called the Targum (compare New English Bible), rather than the Hebrew. It is possible that the Hebrew text originally contained a form gayʾ rather than the form goy, which is in our present Hebrew texts. The form gayʾ means “valley” and is the term assumed to be correct by the translators of New American Bible (“hollows”) and Jerusalem Bible (“valley”).

Even if the Hebrew goy is correct and carries the meaning “nations,” what does the expression “all the beasts of the nations” mean? Hebrew Old Testament Text Project suggests “all the beasts living in flocks (or, herds),” but this meaning is not found in any major translation. Many scholars believe that “nations” is used here in the sense of “species,” as in Proverbs 30.25, and that the whole phrase means “all beasts of every kind” (Lehrman), or as Good News Translation expresses it, “animals of every kind” (compare Deissler, Moffatt, Bible de Jérusalem, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant). This makes perfectly acceptable sense in the context, and translators are recommended to follow it.

The vulture and the hedgehog shall lodge in her capitals: in this setting capitals are the top parts of the columns which supported the roofs of the fine buildings of Nineveh. The prophet is here assuming that the buildings are destroyed and the columns thrown to the ground so that various creatures could lodge among them, or take shelter during the night. Good News Translation translates capitals by the more general term “ruins.”

The main problem here is that the names of the creatures mentioned are very uncertain in meaning. The first term is qaʾath, which is translated vulture (Revised Standard Version), “cormorant” (King James Version), “pelican” (Revised Version, Jerusalem Bible), “jackdaw” (Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible), “screech owl” (New American Bible), “horned owl” (New English Bible), and “desert owl” (New International Version). All that can be said for certain is that the qaʾath is found in a list of unclean birds in Leviticus 11.18 and Deuteronomy 14.17. It is also mentioned as inhabiting deserted places in Psalm 102.6 and Isaiah 34.11. This seems to make it unlikely that a water bird like the cormorant or pelican is intended, or a scavenger like the vulture. On the whole, some kind of owl seems to fit the context best, and if a receptor language has a general word for owl, it will be good to use that rather than give a more exact term that denotes a particular species of owl. If owls do not exist in a particular culture, one may refer to some kind of predatory night bird which gives a hooting or screeching sound.

The second uncertain word is qippod, which is translated hedgehog (Revised Standard Version, Bible de Jérusalem), “bittern” (King James Version), “heron” (Jerusalem Bible), “porcupine” (Revised Version), “desert owl” (New American Bible), “ruffed bustard” (Revised English Bible), “screech owl” (New International Version), and “owl” (New Jerusalem Bible). The word also occurs in Isaiah 14.23, but its context there does not give much help in identifying the creature intended. The ancient translations support the interpretation of qippod as hedgehog or porcupine, but this meaning does not seem to fit the context of Zephaniah 2.14 very well. Also, as with qaʾath, it seems unlikely that a water bird is intended, and again some kind of owl seems to be the most probable creature. Good News Translation accepts this understanding and translates both qaʾath and qippod by the single generic term “owls.” In English this fits well, as English speakers readily associate owls with ruined or deserted buildings. If some other bird has a similar association in other languages, it may be best to use the name of that bird. The translator must always remember that, in a passage like this, the prophet is writing poetically to create an impression of ruin and desolation. He is not writing a scientific account of the wild life of a ruined city, and if we translate this passage as if it were a scientific text book, we are mistranslating it. The effect of this can be seen for instance in the New English Bible rendering “ruffed bustard.” This may perhaps be a correct identification of the creature intended, but most English speakers have never heard of such a bird. Its name means nothing to them and has no emotional impact, except perhaps amusement. This is not what Zephaniah intended.

In the third sentence of the verse, Revised Standard Version has the owl shall hoot in the window, the raven croak on the threshold. The problems here are the words underlying owl and raven. In the first case the Hebrew has the word qol, which means “voice” (King James Version, Revised Version). Revised Standard Version has accepted a suggestion to emend the text to say instead kos, which means owl. Moffatt, Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible do the same. This fits the context but is hardly necessary, since the word “voice” applied to the call of the birds mentioned in the previous sentence makes perfectly good sense. This can be seen in New American Bible‘s “Their call shall resound from the window,” and New International Version‘s “Their calls will echo through the windows” (compare Hebrew Old Testament Text Project). Good News Translation follows this interpretation but combines the first part of this sentence with the previous sentence and says “Owls will live among its ruins and hoot from the windows.” The word hoot in English is used especially of the cry an owl makes, and if translators have a term in their own languages which is closely linked with the birds named in the earlier part of the verse, it will be good to use it here (see comments on the translation of “owl” above).

The second bird in the sentence is called the raven in Revised Standard Version. The Hebrew text actually has the word choreb, which means “desolation” (King James Version, Revised Version; compare Hebrew Old Testament Text Project). The Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation, evidently read a different Hebrew word, ʿoreb, which means raven or “crow.” This possibility is followed by most modern translations (Revised Standard Version, Moffatt, Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) and is to be recommended. Good News Translation also follows the Greek and translates “Crows will caw on the doorsteps.” The words croak and “caw” are used in English especially of the cry of birds like crows and ravens, and translators may be able to use a similar specific term in their own languages. In some languages it will be necessary to refer to some sort of black bird that has a raucous cry. In areas where houses do not have a threshold, or “doorsteps,” a more generic word like “doorway” will be suitable (compare New American Bible, New International Version).

For her cedar work will be laid bare: the last sentence of the verse is somewhat separate from the earlier sentences and speaks about the ruin of the splendid buildings of Nineveh. Some scholars believe that the underlying Hebrew words have arisen by confusion with the opening words of verse 15, which contain some similar letters, and that they should be dropped. Some modern versions (Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New English Bible) therefore omit this sentence. Other scholars divide up the Hebrew letters slightly differently to give the meaning “the cedar has disappeared.” This interpretation seems to be behind the Good News Translation rendering “The cedar wood of her buildings will be stripped away.” Note that Good News Translation has made two small points explicit. First, it has stated that “cedar” is “wood,” and second, it has stated that this wood was used in the city’s “buildings.” Many translators will wish to follow this example, especially in cultures where cedar and its uses are not well known. In certain languages translators may wish to render this clause as “For they will strip the cedar wood from her buildings,” “they” being unknown people (compare Hebrew Old Testament Text Project). It is also possible to say “For enemies will strip…,” because the pronoun “they” might be misunderstood to refer to the animals and birds mentioned earlier in the verse.

The hard and long-lasting wood of the cedar tree was highly valued for use in luxurious buildings. It was used for instance in the building of Solomon’s Temple (1 Kgs 6.9, 10) and palace (1 Kgs 7.3, 7). When the buildings of Nineveh were destroyed, it was natural that people would take away the expensive cedar timbers to use again elsewhere. This interpretation therefore seems to fit the context well and is recommended to translators.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• She (or, The city of Nineveh) will be a place where domesticated and wild animals of all kinds will lie down. Owls (or, Predatory night birds) will live among the ruins and make hooting sounds from the windows. Black birds (or, Crows) will make cawing sounds on the doorsteps. People will strip away the cedar wood from her buildings.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Zephaniah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .