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)
My strength may need to be restructured after the fashion of Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch: “you give me strength.” Good News Translation is similar, though it reverses the order of strength and stronghold: “you are the one who protects me and gives me strength.” The noun rendered stronghold occurs only here in the book of Jeremiah; in the Old Testament it is most frequently used of a place of protection such as a fortress.
The Hebrew word for refuge is used only seven other times in the Hebrew Old Testament, including two other places in Jeremiah (25.35; 46.5, where Revised Standard Version has “in haste”). Trouble is first used in 4.31, where it is rendered “anguish.” Good News Translation renders my refuge in the day of trouble as “you help me in times of trouble,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “I can run to you in time of danger.” It can also be expressed as “you are the one who protects me in times of trouble.”
To thee shall the nations come is not natural English word order; Good News Translation has “Nations will come to you.” However, the Hebrew text does emphasize to thee, and translators may be able to retain this with a rendering such as “You are the one the nations come to,” or they may place this emphasis earlier in the verse, as in Good News Translation (“you are the one”).
The expression from the ends of the earth is an idiom that means “from everywhere on earth.” Translators should use whatever the normal expression is in their language to convey this meaning.
Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies: Fathers (see 2.5) is once again used in the sense of “ancestors” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). In this line inherited might better be expressed as “possessed” (New International Version), or be understood as part of a phrase with Our fathers, such as “Our traditional religion” (Bible en français courant). Lies is best understood in the sense of “false gods” (Good News Translation, New International Version). This whole line is translated by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch as “The gods of our ancestors are nothing but frauds.”
Worthless things: See the comment at 2.5. Translators should also see the discussion of “other gods” at 1.16.
In which there is no profit: See the comment at 2.8.
These last two lines may be rendered “Our ancestors possessed only false gods, worthless idols that could do nothing for them” or “Our traditional religion [or, way of worshiping God] was a lie. We worshiped worthless things that could do nothing for us.”
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 .
Wheel: In Hebrew this is literally “the two stones.” The potter’s wheel consisted of two stones in the shape of disks. The lower stone was larger than the upper one, and the potter could spin it with his feet while working the clay on top of the smaller stone. If such a potter’s wheel is not known, translators can say “the wheel the potter turns to shape the [clay into] pots.” The second part of the verse could be “I saw the potter making pots on the wheel that turns to shape them.”
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 .
The roofs were flat, with access from outside the house, and were designed to accommodate various activities. As such, they were ideal locations for offering incense (see 1.16) and drink offerings (see 7.18).
The expression incense has been burned can be rendered “incense has been burned as an offering” or “offerings have been made.”
The host of heaven refers to “the stars” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). See 8.2.
For other gods, see 1.16.
Shall be defiled is the rendering given by most versions (compare Luther 1984, New American Bible, Good News Translation, An American Translation). However, in place of shall be defiled the Hebrew text has “the defiled ones” (see Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “the defiled houses of Jerusalem and of the kings of Judah shall be as the valley of Topheth…”). The rendering of Revised English Bible (“Because of their defilement the houses … will be like the site of Topheth”) apparently represents the Septuagint. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project makes no comment on this problem, and translators are advised to follow the interpretation of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.
Like the place of Topheth: See 7.32 for a discussion of Topheth. Since it is used in a comparison here, it may be necessary to provide the basis of the comparison, as in “… unclean as Topheth, where sacrifices are burned” or “… be a place of fire, like Topheth.”
The verse may be awkward in some languages. Some translators have restructured it as follows:
• You have burned incense on the roofs of the houses of Jerusalem and of the houses of the kings of Judah, making offerings to the stars, and you have poured out wine as an offering to other gods. All those houses will be as unclean as Topheth [or, all those unclean houses will be like Topheth].
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 .
