Translation commentary on Jeremiah 30:4 - 30:5

A quick look at the Revised Standard Version rendering of these two verses immediately reveals the repetition found in the Hebrew text. Together the verses serve to introduce the message of verses 5b-7, and for that reason it is possible (as with Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) to express verses 4-5 more concisely: “The following is what the Lord has said concerning Israel and Judah…” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Good News Translation renders verse 4 as “The LORD says to the people of Israel and Judah” and allows this to include Thus says the LORD of verse 5. However, see the notes on this expression at 2.2.

Many translators will find it helpful to render Israel and Judah as “people of Israel and Judah,” as in Good News Translation.

We have heard is the form of the Hebrew text, and the one proposed by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project. Their reasoning is that at the beginning of the statement attributed to God (Thus says the LORD …), there may be a quotation reflecting what the people have said, and this is the reason for the pronoun We. New English Bible follows the Septuagint (“You shall hear”), while Good News Translation prefers the rendering “I” (in line with “I see” in verse 6). But clearly it is the LORD who is speaking, so translators should be sure that is clear regardless of whether they use “we” or “I.”

A cry of panic: Cry is more literally “voice,” though the Hebrew word is capable of a broad range of meaning. Panic translates a noun that occurs only here in Jeremiah. Revised Standard Version also renders it as “panic” in 1Sam 14.15, but as “trembling” in Isa 21.4. The noun has as its primary meaning “trembling” or “fear.”

Terror comes from a verb that means “to be afraid,” “tremble.” Elsewhere the noun is used in 48.43-44; 49.5.

In some languages rather than hearing a cry of panic, of terror, it would be more natural to say “a voice crying out in panic and terror” or “the voice of someone [or, voices of people] crying out in panic and fear.”

And no peace: For peace see 6.14. To make and no peace fit the sentence, Good News Translation has “a cry of fear and not of peace.” Translators can also use a separate sentence such as “There is no sound of peace to be heard” or “We [or, I] have not heard the sounds of peace.”

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 31:16

Thus says the LORD here and in verse 15 and the use of says the LORD here and in verse 17 once again makes us aware of the difference between Jeremiah’s usage of these clauses and what would be normal for most languages. See 2.2 and 1.8.

Keep your voice from weeping: The same verb rendered Keep here is used in the passage in 3.3 (Revised Standard Version “withheld”). The whole expression is stated in a much more natural manner in Good News Translation “Stop your crying.” The same is true of the other imperative (Keep … your eyes from tears), which Good News Translation renders “and wipe away your tears.” Bright renders “Check your racking sobs, Restrain your tears!”

Your work shall be rewarded is more literally “there will be wages/ reward for your work.” Since God is the unexpressed actor, the text may be translated “God will reward you for what you have done.” Good News Translation makes clear that what they have done, which God is going to reward them for, has to do with their children. A note in the New International Version Study Bible also says that it was the bearing and raising of children that was the “work.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch agrees with “you have not raised your children in vain.” Translators can say something like “God will reward you for raising your children.” The pronoun they in the next line then refers to the children.

And they shall come back from the land of the enemy explains the nature of the reward. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders “they shall return from the land of their enemies!”

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 32:8

The expression in accordance with the word of the LORD means “just as the LORD had said” (Good News Translation).

Good News Translation shortens the request of Hanamel, Buy my field … for yourself, since the information has already been given in the previous verse. Whether it is more natural to shorten or retain the whole request will depend on the translator’s language.

Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD: Here this refers to the word of the LORD in verse 7, not to the request of Hanamel. Good News Translation is a good model: “So I knew that the LORD had really spoken to me.” New American Bible ties this to the beginning of verse 9: “I knew this was what the LORD meant, 9 so I bought the field….”

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 32:41

I will rejoice in doing them good is more literally “I will rejoice upon them to do good [to] them.” The verb rejoice is found only here in Jeremiah, though it is prominent in Isaiah (35.1 [Revised Standard Version “be glad”]; 61.10; 62.5; 64.5 [Revised Standard Version “joyfully”]; 65.18 [Revised Standard Version “be glad”], 19 [Revised Standard Version “be glad”]; 66.10, 14).

I will plant them: See 1.10; 24.6.

In faithfulness: The meaning is “firmly” (Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible), “permanently” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), or “truly” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Elsewhere in Jeremiah this same construction is found in 4.2 (Revised Standard Version “in truth”); 26.15 (Revised Standard Version “in truth”); and 28.9 (Revised Standard Version “truly”).

With all my heart and all my soul: This information was evidently unintentionally omitted by Good News Translation. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “with my entire heart and full strength,” while Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “with all my heart and all my being.” In Hebrew psychology these two terms would be a comprehensive expression of a person’s total being.

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 34:5

As spices were burned for your fathers is more literally “as the burning of your fathers.” However, a literal translation would be misleading, since cremation was not practiced by the Hebrews. The reference is to the ceremonial rite performed in conjunction with the burial of a king (see 2 Chr 16.14; 21.19). Traduction œcuménique de la Bible renders “they will burn incense for you as they burned it for your ancestors.” It may be necessary to make it clear that this is part of a funeral rite by adding “at their funerals.” Spices is often rendered “incense.” If people are not familiar with the use of spices, translators may do something similar to Bible en français courant “perfumed plants [or, plants with a sweet smell].” Fathers refers to ancestors, as in 2.5.

The former kings who were before you is redundant. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “your predecessors upon the royal throne” and Good News Translation “who were kings before you.”

So men shall burn spices for you is literally “so they [masculine] shall burn for you.” Here again the object of the verb (spices) must be indicated. As above, it may be necessary to add “at your funeral” to make it clear why people would burn incense or spices.

Lament may be rendered “mourn” (Good News Translation).

Saying: This is lacking in Hebrew, but must be supplied in translation.

Alas, lord!: This is obviously the lament that would be made at the death of a king, and it should be translated in a way that is most natural; for example, “Our king is dead!” (Good News Translation) and “O, our Lord!” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Traduction œcuménique de la Bible renders “How terrible, my lord!” It is important to note that here lord refers to the king, not to God.

In the construction For I have spoken, the pronoun I is emphatic. Some translators have rendered this “It is I who have spoken.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 35:18

The house of the Rechabites: See verse 2.

Thus says the LORD: See 2.2.

Precepts: Often rendered “commands” (New American Bible) or “instructions” (Revised English Bible), this noun is derived from the verb rendered commanded.

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 36:31

For offspring see 22.30.

Servants is not household servants, as the term may suggest, but “officials” (Good News Translation), since they had played a big part in Jehoiakim’s fatal decision. See verse 24.

For iniquity see “guilt” in 2.22.

Bring upon … all the evil: See 4.6.

Men of Judah is a general reference meaning “people of Judah.”

But they would not hear: In Revised Standard Version this clause seems to hang without much connection to what is before it. It expresses the reason for the LORD’s destruction on the people of Judah. New American Bible renders “[all the threats of evil] which went unheeded” and Revised English Bible “[all the disasters with which I threatened them,] for they turned a deaf ear to me.” Good News Translation reverses the order, placing the causative expression first: “Neither you nor the people of Jerusalem and of Judah have paid any attention to my warnings, and so I will bring on all of you the disaster that I have threatened.”

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 38:10

Then the king commanded Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian: One of the basic problems of a formal rendering, such as Revised Standard Version, is that it pays little regard to the total discourse structure. For example, there is absolutely no need for readers to further identify Ebedmelech as the Ethiopian. Translators should be constantly aware of what readers and hearers expect within their own language.

Three is in most versions, but the standard Hebrew text has “thirty,” which is the recommendation of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and is followed by New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, and Bible en français courant.

With you is literally “in your hand.” However, even the most literal translations attempt to improve here.

Jeremiah the prophet: Once again, in view of the total discourse, it is unnecessary to identify Jeremiah as the prophet.

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 .