The word play in the Hebrew original between “shaqed” (translated in most English versions as “almond tree”) of Jeremiah 1:11 and “shoqed” (translated in most English versions as “watching”) in Jeremiah 1:12 is reproduced in the German Good News translation (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) of 1982 with Wacholderzweig (“juniper branch”) and wache (“watch”). Accompanying the translation is a note, indicating that the literal translation would be Mandelbaum (“almond tree”), which they point out is the first to bloom in the spring, giving the appearance not to have slept. Then they explain that just as Hebrew has a play on words between “shaqed” and “shoqed,” so also they have made a play on words between Wacholder and wachen in their translation.
Das Wortspiel im hebräischen Oiginal zwischen "shaqed" (zu deutsch "Mandelbaum") in Jer. 1.11 und "shoqed" (zu deutsch "sehen", "schauen") in Jer 1.12 wird von der Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch von 1982 mit "Wacholderzweig" and "wache" nachgebildet. Die Übersetzung wird von folgender Fußnote begleitet: "Der Mandelbaum blüht im Frühjahr als erster und scheint im Winter sozusagen gar nicht 'geschlafen' zu haben." Dann wird erklärt, dass das hebräische Wortspiel dem deutschen Wortspiel zwischen "Wacholder" und "wachen" Vorbild war.
The Hebrew in Jeremiah 10:5 that is translated as “scarecrow” in English is translated in Bassa in Liberia as “a stick that a person decorates with clothes and sets in a farm.”
The Hebrew in Jeremiah 4:3 that is translated as “break up your fallow ground” in some English versions is translated as “prepare your hard hearts like a person prepares a garden spot” in Bassa.
The musical instrument that is most often translated as “flute” or “pipe” in English is more or less universally used, so it’s typically translated directly with the applicable term.
Since its cultural significance is sometimes different it might be translated with a different instruments is some cases (see also below). When in Matthew 11:17 and Luke 7:32 the flute is mentioned as an instrument played at a wedding, the Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999) translates it as “we played the wedding drum for you” (source: Wendland 1987, p. 74), the Yakan and Kankanaey translations use “gongs” (source: Yakan and Kankanaey Back Translations), in Western Bukidnon Manobo “drumming” is used (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation), and in Tagbanwa “stringed-instruments” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).
Or in Jeremiah 48:36 where the flute is used for mourning, Bassa uses “funeral drum” (source: Newman / Stine) or Hiligaynon, while using “flute,” makes the meaning explicit: “like a lonely music of a flute for the dead” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation).
Description: The flute was a wind instrument consisting of a tube with a series of finger holes used to alter the tone. Some flutes were made of reed and could take several forms: the tube could be a cylinder or it could be more in the shape of a cone. There were instruments made of a single tube, while others had two tubes side by side. Often ancient double flutes or double pipes were arranged in a V-shape, with two separate reeds. One of these pipes had several holes while the other had only one hole and acted as a kind of drone, providing an unchanging tone to accompany the varying tones coming from the first pipe. Some pipes or flutes were made of other materials, such as wood, ivory, bone, or metal.
Usage: Sound was produced with the flute by blowing across an opening leading into a hole running inside the length of the instrument; in some cases the opening hole was in the end of the instrument while in others this hole was in the side of the instrument toward one end. With the reed pipe, on the other hand, a column of air was set in motion by blowing over a reed device, causing it to vibrate.
Translation: If there is no wind instrument available to translate “flute,” a different kind of wind instrument may be used.
The Hebrew word ‘ugav is usually understood to refer to a wind instrument. It is possible, however, that it is a generic term for “instrument” or even refers to a particular stringed instrument. In Job 21:12 and Job 30:31 it is identified as an instrument that expressed joy and contentment.
Psalms 5:1: The Hebrew word nchiloth appears only here in the Old Testament, and its meaning is uncertain. It may mean “wind instruments” in general or “flutes” in particular. Extra-biblical evidence indicates that it may have been an instrument played for funeral laments.
Matthew 9:23: Here New Revised Standard Version, updated edition has “flute players”: According to Jewish tradition, even the poorest people were expected to have two flute players and a wailing woman for a funeral. In order to clarify the role of the flute players Good News Translation adds “for the funeral.” This information was immediately evident to a Jewish reader who was familiar with the funeral customs, but it will not be clear to other readers. Many cultures are familiar with the flute or other instruments that are played by blowing through a wooden tube. If no such instrument exists, then translators can say “those who played musical instruments for a funeral” or, as in Good News Translation, “musicians for the funeral.” See also flute players.
Men playing flutes (source: Louise Bass (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1994)
This verse records Jeremiah’s response to the divine call. It is a feeling of inadequacy, such as Moses experienced at the time of his call (Exo 4.10).
Ah represents a cry of alarm; it appears several times in the Old Testament when a person is in the presence of God or his angel (Josh 7.7; Jdg 6.22; Jer 4.10; 14.13; 32.17; Ezek 4.14; 9.8; 11.13; 20.49). Good News Translation does not represent this exclamation by a word in the text. Bible en français courant uses Hélas (“Alas”).
Lord GOD is translated “Sovereign LORD” by Good News Translation and “my Lord and God” by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch.
Behold translates an attention-getter; it is represented by “see” in New Jerusalem Bible, but it has no verbal equivalent in Good News Translation, New International Version, New American Bible, or New English Bible. This word is best looked upon as a formal feature of the Hebrew text, and as such it should not be slavishly reproduced in translation, although “Look” is appropriate in many languages.
I do not know how to speak must not be taken to indicate that Jeremiah could not speak. Among the translations the meaning is perhaps best expressed by Luther 1984: “I am not fit to preach.” Another good way to express it is “I don’t know how to speak in public.”
Youth is used of the infant Moses (Exo 2.6) and of the young man Absalom (2 Sam 18.5). Thus it is impossible to determine Jeremiah’s age on the basis of its usage here. The Septuagint has “I am too young,” which is also the choice of several modern translations (Good News Translation, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Luther 1984, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). New Revised Standard Version has “for I am only a boy”; New International Version has “I am only a child,” but since we cannot know Jeremiah’s exact age at this time, only that he was less than thirty years old, this may be too restrictive. Bible en français courant has restructured the second part of the verse: “I am too young to speak in public.”
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 .
For long ago comes first in the Hebrew sentence, and suggests the long-standing nature of Israel’s sin and the LORD’s patience in enduring it. For shows that this verse continues the thinking from verse 19 by giving the reason for Israel’s punishment. The connector For is not natural in many languages and is therefore often dropped. On the other hand, since there is a paragraph break and a section heading in Good News Translation, some indication of the continuity of the word from the LORD is necessary, so it repeats “The Sovereign LORD says.”
Broke your yoke is parallel with burst your bonds. Both figures indicate rebellion, rather than seeking independence or freedom. Thus Good News Translation removes the figures and translates “you rejected my authority; you refused to obey me.”
The yoke was a crooked piece of wood placed on the neck of an animal used for plowing and other purposes. It was the means by which the animal was kept under control and subject to its master. Translators who wish to retain the image might say something like “broke the yoke by which I directed you.” If yoke is not known, then translators should follow the model of Good News Translation above rather than introduce an unknown object and thereby render the verse unnecessarily awkward.
Bonds is here apparently used of the ropes or straps by which the owner of the animal controlled it during work. As with yoke, translators could say “broke the ropes [or, straps] by which I controlled you [or, which kept you under my control].” The first two lines could be “Like an ox [or, work animal] breaking its yoke and bursting its control straps, you broke away from my authority [or, control].” If this makes the sentence too complex, we may simply do something similar to Good News Translation. For the combination of yoke and bonds used in this same sense, see 5.5; 30.8. In 27.2 a different Hebrew term is used for yoke, though the figure is the same.
Serve is frequently used in the Old Testament with the meaning “obey” or “worship.” Some languages require an object, as in “serve you.” Good News Translation translates will not serve as “refused to … worship me.”
The text continues with Yea, a word that emphasizes the point being made. New International Version renders it as “Indeed,” but translators should do whatever is most natural in their language.
Upon every high hill and under every green tree has reference to the places where the Canaanites conducted their fertility rites. The two expressions do not refer to different locations but to the same places; that is, the fertility rites were carried out under green trees that grew on the tops of high hills. Translators may want to put this information in the footnotes, although some have included it in the text, as in “Under the green trees on every high hill, those places where people worship idols….” Some languages make a distinction between a green tree that is continually green and one that turns green year after year. Either of these fits the context and is acceptable in translation.
You bowed down as a harlot: Good News Translation expresses this as “you worshiped fertility gods.” Although some translations take this as a figure of speech which means Israel’s worshiping other gods was like someone who was unfaithful in marriage and went with prostitutes (see New American Bible note, for example), it should in fact be taken literally of young Israelite women who dedicated themselves to the fertility god. They became “sacred prostitutes” that men had sexual intercourse with. In theory the ultimate intention of this action was to inspire the god to make the earth fertile. But in actual fact it became nothing more than a debasing act of immorality. Moreover, a secondary danger was the assimilation of these rites as a part of the worship of the LORD. Evidently the Israelites had adopted this aspect of Canaanite worship and were no longer able to distinguish between it and the true worship of the LORD. Hos 2.2-13 portrays in more detail what is here condemned by Jeremiah. Translators may say simply “you practiced prostitution.” New Revised Standard Version has “you sprawled and played the whore,” which is similar to Revised English Bible “sprawled in promiscuous vice.” But following the text, bowed down has the element of “worship,” thereby making possible a rendering such as “you practiced prostitution in your worship of other gods.”
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 .
Shepherds (see 2.8) is here used in the sense of “rulers” (Good News Translation). It is sometimes necessary to express this as “I will place leaders [or, rulers] over you.”
After my own heart is rendered literally by most translations; Good News Translation interprets the meaning to be “who obey me” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “according to my own choice.” Another common rendering is “whose thinking is like mine” or “who will care for you like I do.”
Feed you with wisdom and understanding continues the image of the shepherd who takes his flock to places where they can eat well. Some translators have understood this verse to mean that the rulers will teach the people knowledge and understanding; but others, and this is more common, understand it to mean that these rulers will care for the people wisely and competently. This is the interpretation followed by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Good News Translation “will rule you with wisdom and understanding.”
The noun translated knowledge (Good News Translation “wisdom”) is found only here in the book of Jeremiah; elsewhere in the Old Testament it is found in 1Sam 2.3; Job 36.4; Psa 73.11; Isa 11.9; 28.9.
Understanding actually translates a verbal form, which is used elsewhere in 9.24 and 20.11. In the 9.24 passage it is again used in parallel with “knowledge,” and so also carries the meaning “understanding.” But its usage in 20.11 is different, where it means “be prosperous” or “succeed.” Thus some have rendered it “competently.” Here New American Bible retains the figure of the shepherd and translates “who will shepherd you wisely and prudently.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “who will rule you with insight and understanding.”
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 .
