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)
For shows a continuation from verse 9, adding emphasis to how terrible the sins of Judah are. However, it is not natural in many languages and can be dropped (so Good News Translation).
It may not be natural in all languages to use an imperative for cross and send. Instead “If you cross” and “if you send” might be more natural, or possibly “You should cross … or … send.” Cross might be “Go across” or “Go over.” Since Cyprus is an island, people would have to go over the sea to reach it.
The coasts of Cyprus is perhaps more accurately translated “the islands in the west” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Originally the term kittim in Hebrew would have referred to the Phoenician settlers on the island of Cyprus, then to all of Cyprus, then to the Greek islands, and finally to the west in general. The LORD is telling his people to go as far west as they can, and see if any people have ever behaved as sinfully as they have. However, even though Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is accurate, we recommend that translators retain “coasts [or, islands] of Cyprus” in the text, with the fuller explanation of the meaning here in a note.
See might require some sort of object, as in “see what you can find” or “look there for such a thing.”
The name Kedar originally referred to the Bedouins of the Syrian-Arabian desert, but here it stands for the east in general. “Land of Kedar” will be helpful for many readers.
In many languages the verb send will require an object. Good News Translation supplies “someone” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “your representatives.”
Examine with care translates a verb plus an adverb, which make an expression much stronger than see, its parallel in the previous line. Translators might say “search thoroughly.” However, it seems quite possible that the two verbs are used in the same sense, except that the second of the two verbs intensifies the command. It is on the basis of this observation that Good News Translation omits see and examine with care from the commands to go to the west and to the east, and then follows with the statement “You will see that….” A possibility that retains the intensification of examine with care is:
• Cross over to the island of Cyprus and look around. And send someone to the land of Kedar to make a thorough search. You will find out that nothing like this has ever happened before.
Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has:
• Cross the sea to the islands in the west and see for yourself! Or send your representatives to the peoples of the east and find out for yourself whether anything like this has ever happened!
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 shift from “thou” (“you” singular) in verse 4 to he may be of some difficulty to the reader, since the same person is referred to by both pronouns. That is why Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch shift to “you” in verses 4 and 5.
Be angry for ever is equivalent to be indignant to the end. Neither of these constructions in Hebrew actually contains the words angry or indignant, which must be supplied from the context. Rather two other similar verbs meaning “guard” or “watch” are used without an object. It is possible that in some instances the first of these two verbs may of itself mean “be angry” (see Lev 19.18, where Revised Standard Version has “bear any grudge”; Jer 3.12; Nahum 1.2; Psa 103.9), though some scholars question this meaning. However, it is clear that indignant would be too weak, and another word that means anger or to hold something against someone would be better.
To the end means the same as for ever. Translators could also use “always.”
Behold: See the comment at 1.6.
You have spoken refers to the statement “My father … to the end?” Good News Translation renders “Israel, that is what you said.”
But you have done all the evil that you could translates two verbs, “and you did evil and you were able.” The interpretation given the text by Revised Standard Version is followed by most translations, including Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “you continued in your degenerate ways, and you did it masterfully” and Luther 1984 “you did evil and you did not restrain yourself.” Others evidently take “and you were able” in a slightly different sense: “you have done evil and gone unchallenged” (Revised English Bible) and “and still you went on sinning, you were so obstinate” (Jerusalem Bible). This sentence shows the contrast between what Israel says and what they continue doing. Therefore one possible translation is “But this is only what you say. What you have done is commit all the evil you could.”
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 .
A wind too full for this comes for me is considerably restructured by Good News Translation: “the wind that comes at the LORD’s command will be much stronger than that!” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “… it is too strong for that! It is a storm, and it comes at my command.” This interpretation understands for me to have the meaning “at my command” (so also Jerusalem Bible, An American Translation; New American Bible has “at my bidding”).
In the construction Now it is I, the pronoun I (the LORD) is placed in the position of emphasis. Good News Translation shifts to a third person reference, but brings out the emphatic nature of the pronoun by saying “It is the LORD himself….”
Speak in judgment upon them is translated “will state my case against them” by New English Bible. However, it seems better to understand this as a pronouncement of the judgment itself: “Now I myself am going to pronounce sentence on them!” (Jerusalem Bible).
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 .
