The words of Jeremiah, a literal rendering of the Hebrew, represents what is found in most other translations (for example, New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, La Bible Pléiade, Zürcher Bibel. However, in Hebrew words may also mean “deeds” or “history,” as the footnote of Traduction œcuménique de la Bible indicates. Therefore Moffatt has “The story of Jeremiah” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders “In this book is written what Jeremiah said and did.” The problem of interpretation (whether words has the extended meaning of “words and deeds”) is made more difficult by the nature of the construction of the book of Jeremiah. As is well known, the book of Jeremiah is not put together according to a chronological arrangement, and it is only with difficulty that we can uncover even a topical arrangement of the sayings and deeds recorded in the book.

Since 25.13a indicates the closing of a “book” within the larger framework of the whole book of Jeremiah, some scholars believe that The words of Jeremiah must be taken only with 1.1–25.13. In fact the Septuagint deletes 25.14 and places chapters 46–51 immediately following 25.13, thereby suggesting that the first part of Jeremiah is looked upon as a sayings source. We would then have here the words spoken by Jeremiah between the time of his call (627 B.C.) and the fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign (605 B.C.). In this regard it is interesting to note that this time span coincides precisely with that indicated in the scroll that Jeremiah dictated in 605 B.C. (chapter 36).

On the other hand, it is quite possible that The words of Jeremiah was attached to the beginning of the book by the final editor, who used this as a designation for the whole of the book. No final decision is possible. However, regardless of what decision we come to, it is advisable to open the book with a complete sentence, rather than slavishly to follow the wording of the Hebrew text. Depending on which interpretation of words they follow, translators can say “Here are [or, These are] the words of Jeremiah,” “This is the story of Jeremiah,” or “This book is about what Jeremiah said and did.” Good News Translation has a passive construction, “what was said by Jeremiah,” but in many languages an active sentence, such as “what Jeremiah said,” will be more natural.

Jeremiah was obviously a frequently used name among the Hebrews, as is indicated by both the Old Testament itself and other sources of the same period. The meaning of the name is disputed, though it may possibly mean either “the LORD exalts” or “the LORD loosens [the womb].” In the book itself the name seems to hold no symbolic significance, and so the root meaning is of no consequence as far as translation is concerned. Therefore translators should transliterate the name, not translate it.

How to transliterate proper nouns is something that translators should agree on very early in any translation project. Some will follow some major language such as English, Spanish, or French, and write the names as they would be pronounced in their own languages. Others will transliterate the Hebrew (in the Old Testament) form. Lists of all proper nouns in the Bible are available from Bible Society consultants or offices, as well as some rules of thumb to follow to be sure that the problem is handled consistently.

Hilkiah was also the name of the High Priest who in the days of Josiah discovered “the book of the Law” in the Temple (2Kgs 22.8), though modern scholarship tends not to identify this Hilkiah with the father of Jeremiah. As with the name Jeremiah, so Hilkiah was also evidently in common use among the ancient Hebrews. Had Jeremiah been the son of a famous priest, it is not likely that he would have encountered as much rejection during the course of his ministry. Translators will render the son of Hilkiah in whatever way is natural. In some languages this would be “Hilkiah was his father.”

The phrase of the priests is difficult. Some scholars argue that it seems to make an intrusion into the text and must therefore not be considered an original part of the Hebrew manuscript. But there are no textual grounds for its omission, and so it must be dealt with in translation. The general consensus of scholars is that the reference is to Hilkiah rather than to Jeremiah; that is, although Jeremiah was the son of a priest, he himself was not a priest. Jeremiah’s outlook was primarily prophetic, and he often found himself in opposition to the priests (5.31; 6.13; 23.11; 26.8, 11; 29.26); so it may well be that he was not of their group. Good News Translation translates of the priests by “one of the priests.” The Bible en français courant has “Jeremiah was of a family of priests.”

Priests is a term that translators will normally have translated already in other books. Many translators use a term such as “sacrificers,” which emphasizes the main role of the priests, and works especially well if translators have rendered “temple” as “house [or, building] of sacrifice.” Other translators have used short phrases such as “those who go before God [for the people]” or “mediator between God and the people.”

Jeremiah’s home town was Anathoth (see 11.21, 23; 29.27; 32.7-9). The exact location of ancient Anathoth is uncertain, though biblical archaeologists tend nowadays to identify it with the modern Ras el-Kharrubeh, about 800 meters (a half mile) south of Anata, which was previously thought to be the site. If this identification is correct, then ancient Anathoth was about four or five kilometers (two-and-a-half or three miles) north of Jerusalem. In many languages it is helpful to identify Anathoth as “the town [or, village] of Anathoth,” although since the text goes on to say in the land of Benjamin, this may not be necessary. King Solomon banished Abiathar the High Priest to Anathoth (1Kgs 2.26) because of his part in the plot to have Adonijah succeed David as king. It is then likely that Jeremiah was a descendant of Abiathar, which would account for the reference to the priests who were in Anathoth. Some scholars, however, see no basis for the claim that Jeremiah was a descendant of Abiathar.

The land of Benjamin was the territory assigned the tribe of Benjamin in the division of the land under Joshua (Josh 18.11-28). Translators should be careful not to make the translation sound as if Benjamin were still alive. “The land of the tribe of Benjamin” or “the territory of Benjamin’s descendants” will avoid this.

In Revised Standard Version this verse is just part of a long sentence that extends to the end of verse 2. Good News Translation has made this verse one sentence. In other languages this verse can even be expressed more naturally as two sentences, as in:

• This is the story of Jeremiah. He was the son of Hilkiah who was one of the priests in Anathoth in the land of the tribe of Benjamin.

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 .

In biblical times lions were common in Israel and the surrounding countries, and the references to them show that they were considered daring and destructive animals, whose very roar aroused fear. It is quite possible that lions is here used symbolically of the Assyrian army, although this identification may not be made in translation. However, it may be advisable to identify the lions as Israel’s enemies: “His enemies have roared at him like lions.” If lions are not known, then translators have two or three possible translation methods to choose from. In some contexts, a description would be good, as in “large, ferocious cat-like animals” or “large, dangerous animals like cats.” In others, it is enough to use a very general term like “wild animals” or “dangerous wild animals.” Sometimes a substitution can be made, either with another member of the cat family such as a puma or panther, or even with an animal such as a wolf or bear. But in this context, where the roaring is being spoken of, then one of the first two choices would work best. Of course, a long descriptive phrase takes away from the poetry, so translators should try to keep a brief phrase if possible.

The lions have roared … they have roared loudly represents a form of Hebrew parallelism which may in some cases need to be reduced to a single statement as in Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch. New English Bible retains it here with “roar and growl” (also New International Version and Bible en français courant). In order to convey the force of the Hebrew parallelism, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “They roar and attack you like hungry lions.”

What the lions have done shows clearly that they are used symbolically of Israel’s enemies: They have made his land a waste; his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant. The noun translated waste appears frequently in the book of Jeremiah; it refers primarily to a horrible sight caused by destruction. Translators might have “they [his enemies] have made his land completely desolate” or “they have completely ravaged his land.” His cities are in ruins parallels They have made his land a waste. In place of are in ruins some manuscripts have “are burned” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Luther 1984, New International Version). In fact it is possible that the verb form translated are in ruins may also be derived from the verb “be burned.” But the meaning comes out essentially the same in either case. In ancient warfare a captured city had its buildings torn down, and everything that would burn was burned. Sometimes translators need to state that the cities are in ruins because the enemies have destroyed them, as in “they have made his cities ruins” or “they have defeated the cities and left them in ruins.”

Without inhabitant is translated “completely abandoned” by Good News Translation. We may need to translate “and no one lives there any more.”

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 .

Yet for all this is rendered by New International Version as “In spite of all this.”

False sister: See the comment at verse 7.

Return: A play on words is indicated with “return” (verse 7) and “faithless” (verses 6, 8); see the comment at verse 6.

Did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense: Good News Translation has “only pretended to return to me; she was not sincere.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders it “she did not turn back to me—not with her heart, only with empty words.”

Says the LORD: See the comment at 1.8.

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 .

Like keepers of a field are they against her round about is a fairly literal and meaningless translation of the Hebrew. The writer is comparing the tents of the enemy which are now placed around the city of Jerusalem with temporary shelters used by persons guarding a field during harvest season. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “The enemies surround Judah and Jerusalem like men who are guarding a field.”

Because she has rebelled against me is altered into a third person form for the LORD by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and translated as a separate sentence: “The Lord sent them because this people rebelled against him.” Rebelled is used again at 5.23, where Revised Standard Version has “rebellious”; though it is a different verb from that used in 2.8, 29; 3.13, the meaning is the same.

Says the LORD (see 1.8) is translated “The LORD has spoken” by Good News Translation.

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 .

Thus says the LORD: See 2.2.

For Behold refer to 1.6.

Good News Translation does away entirely with the imagery of stumbling blocks: “And so I will make these people stumble and fall.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “I will place obstacles in the way of these people, and they will stumble and fall over them.”

Fathers and sons … shall perish is made into a new sentence by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (“All will die: fathers and sons, neighbors and friends”) and Good News Translation (“Parents and children will die, and so will friends and neighbors”).

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 .

Verses 25-26 are essentially repeated in 11.7-8.

From the day is better rendered “From the time.”

Fathers is normally translated as “ancestors.” Although the text says your fathers came out of the land of Egypt, it is permissible to do as Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has done: “I led your ancestors out of Egypt.”

Persistently: See the comment at verse 13. Here sent is repeated in the Hebrew text to intensify it. Translators should find a good way to render it in conjunction with day after day; for example, “over and over again on a regular basis” or, as in New International Version, “day after day, again and again.”

For prophets see 1.5.

To them is literally “to you” in Hebrew. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends the Hebrew text, which Good News Translation follows with “I have kept sending to you….”

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 first part of this verse in Hebrew is extremely difficult. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project suggests a meaning that may be expressed as follows: “They use their tongues to tell lies, just as an archer uses a bow to shoot arrows. They have grown powerful, but they are not faithful to the LORD.” In this rendering the noun truth is taken to mean “faithfulness” or “loyalty” in relation to God. See the comment at 5.1. A possible variation on the second sentence of this model is “It is because of their falsehood they have become powerful in the land, not because they are loyal to me.” Note that Good News Translation has dropped the image of the bow, but most translators will try to retain it, as in the example above.

For they proceed from evil to evil is more naturally expressed by Good News Translation as “My people do one evil thing after another.”

They do not know me: See the comment on “knew” at 1.5. New Jerusalem Bible has “but me they do not know” and New English Bible “and for me they care nothing”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “they will have nothing to do with me” and Good News Translation “and do not acknowledge me as their God.” Translators should find a natural way to express the focus and meaning given in these versions.

For says the LORD, see 1.8.

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 .