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.”
almond tree - watching
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.
See also almond.
Translation: German
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.
Translator: Jost Zetzsche
feeble, limp
The Hebrew in Jeremiah 47:3 that is translated as “limp” or “feeble” in English is translated as “their hearts beat within them” in Bassa.
breaking fallow ground
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.
flute
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).
In the UBS Helps for Translators‘ Human-made Things in the Bible (original title: The Works of Their Hands: Man-made Things in the Bible) it says the following:
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)
Quoted with permission.
Translation commentary on Jeremiah 1:8
This verse contains both a command (Be not afraid of them) and a statement in the form of a promise (for I am with you to deliver you). In other contexts the verb translated deliver may mean “recover” (Jdg 11.26) or “take away” (Gen 31.9); here it obviously has the meaning of “protect” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), “rescue” (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible), or “keep … safe” (New English Bible). For Jeremiah this was a much needed word of encouragement, because he seems to have suffered more at the hands of his own people than did any other prophet.
Says the LORD translates a Hebrew noun construction that may more literally be rendered “pronouncement of the LORD.” The noun “pronouncement” occurs more than a hundred times in the book of Jeremiah, usually in this construction. The expression says the LORD is similar to “Thus says the LORD” (see the discussion at 2.2), and is rendered like it in some translations, although if translators can retain two different expressions, that is better. It affirms that a message comes from the LORD and is therefore an important element of the text. It should be understood as authoritative, something to which people should pay attention.
As a rule this expression comes at the end of a saying, though it may also occur either at the beginning or in the middle. For English readers it is sometimes awkward to handle translationally, because it occurs with such frequency and in contexts where it is unexpected. As a rule, Good News Translation renders it as a statement: “I, the LORD, have spoken!” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch here translates “I, the Lord, say this.” New English Bible has “This was the very word of the LORD.”
Often at the beginning of a pronouncement from the LORD, an expression, such as “Thus says the LORD,” is used in translation; but “Listen to what the LORD says” would be much better, because it has an imperative force, calling the readers or listeners to do something, and it is more natural as well. At the end of a message, as in this verse, translators can follow the models in the above paragraph or use sentences such as “That is what the LORD says,” “This word is from the LORD,” or “It is I, the LORD, who says this.” Since these expressions will occur throughout Jeremiah, translators should be sure to treat them consistently.
One problem for translators is to decide whether says the LORD is part of the words of the LORD, and therefore something included within the quotation marks, as in Good News Translation, or a statement of the writer, as in New English Bible, New International Version and Bible en français courant (“That is what the Lord declared to me”). Although there is some reason to prefer the latter, either seems acceptable, and translators will probably do whatever seems most natural in their language.
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 .
Translation commentary on Jeremiah 2:22
This verse introduces new imagery, in which the people of Israel are compared to a person who has a terrible stain that neither lye nor much soap will remove. The lye referred to here was probably potassium carbonate, a strongly alkaline solution made from wood ashes or other vegetable matter. The noun translated soap is used only here (of washing the body) and in Mal 3.2 (of washing clothes). Lye would have been the stronger of the two cleansing agents. Soap will be known by translators almost everywhere, and even though the word for it in their language may be borrowed, it can be used. Lye may not be known, however, and translators can either substitute something used as a strong cleansing agent in their culture or use an expression like “strong cleaning agent.” Both Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch reduce lye … much soap to “the strongest soap.”
The stain of your guilt means “the stain caused by your guilt.” The noun translated guilt is found in many other places in Jeremiah. In Revised Standard Version it is consistently translated as either “guilt” or “iniquity,” except for the rendering “punishment” in 51.6. See further at 3.13.
[Something] is still before me is a Hebrew way of saying: “I still see [something],” which is the basis for Good News Translation “I would still see the stain of your guilt.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “the stain of your guilt always remains before my eyes.”
Says the Lord GOD is similar to “says the LORD” (1.8), but with the addition of GOD. See 1.6 for Lord GOD. “The Lord who is God” or “God who is our/the Lord” are common translations.
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 .
Translation commentary on Jeremiah 3:17
At that time (so Revised English Bible) is translated “When that time comes” by Good News Translation.
Jerusalem shall be called (literally “they will call Jerusalem”) may be translated as an active: “people will call Jerusalem” (Luther 1984).
The throne of the LORD identifies Jerusalem as the place from which the LORD will exercise his rule. Many translators will retain the form, much as Good News Translation has: “… will be called ‘The Throne of the LORD.’ ” Others will find it more helpful for readers to make the function clear, as in “… will be known as the place from where God rules.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates the first clause of this verse as “Since all Jerusalem is then my throne.”
All nations means “everyone” or “All people” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).
Shall gather to it may more naturally be “shall gather there.”
To the presence of the LORD is more literally “in the name of the LORD,” but this refers to the spiritual worship of the LORD, perhaps in contrast to the ark of the past mentioned in verse 16, so New International Version translates “to honor the name of the LORD.” Since the LORD’s name represents the LORD himself, Good News Translation translates “to worship [the LORD].” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “All people will come and gather there with me.” In few languages would it be necessary to repeat in Jerusalem.
And they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart represents “and they will not walk again after the stubbornness of their evil heart.” The meaning may be expressed in a number of different ways: “never again will they follow the promptings of their evil and stubborn hearts” (Revised English Bible), “living no longer by the stubbornness of their evil minds” (Moffatt), and “They will no longer do what their stubborn and evil hearts tell them” (Good News Translation). For those cultures where heart would be unnatural, “conscience” or “mind” might be better. Heart for the Jews was the place of reflection and contemplation, not of emotion.
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 .