Translation commentary on Jeremiah 15:8

I have made their widows more in number is more literally “Their widows are increased in number to me.” The causative force of the verb, as found in Revised Standard Version, is based upon the two causative verbs that follow (I have brought … I have made). Thus Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders “I allowed more women to become widows.” It is also possible to take the verb in an impersonal sense: “There are more widows in your land” (Good News Translation). Interestingly, unlike Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version also accepts this interpretation with “Their widows became more numerous.”

The sand of the seas and the stars in the sky were considered past counting by the ancient Hebrews, and were often used in comparisons. As in Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, rather than counting sand, many languages are more likely to count the grains of sand along the shore of the sea.

I have brought against the mothers of young men a destroyer is the interpretation followed by most translations. According to this interpretation, the persons killed are the young warriors of Israel: “On the mother of young warriors I bring the destroyer…” (New Jerusalem Bible). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project suggests a second possible interpretation: “I will bring young warriors to kill [helpless] widows [whose sons have already been killed in battle].” We should note, however, that this interpretation is apparently not followed by any of the major translations. A common fault in translating this verse is to make it seem that a destroyer attacks the mothers, whereas the idea is that just as there are many women who become widows because their husbands are killed, so also there are women who lose their sons. Good News Translation handles this very well with “I killed your young men … and made their mothers suffer.” I have brought … a destroyer may need to be expressed as “I killed,” as in Good News Translation, or as “I sent an enemy to kill.”

At noonday is taken by the majority of translations to indicate an unexpected time (see 6.4). However, the phrase may mean “in their prime” (Good News Translation), with reference to the young warriors.

This is the only place in the Old Testament where the noun anguish is used for certain, though some assume it is also found in Hos 11.9.

The noun translated terror is found elsewhere in the Old Testament only in Lev 26.16; Psa 78.33; Isa 65.23. It is derived from the same Hebrew root as the verb rendered “are in panic” by Revised Standard Version in 51.32.

In many languages it is not natural to say that anguish and terror come down. Rather, translators might say something like “I made them to suddenly experience great anguish [or, suffering] and to be terrified” or “I caused them to suddenly be in great pain, and to be greatly afraid.” Terror is a universal experience, and many translators will be able to use idioms from their language which express it. Some Pacific languages, for example, would say “trouble [or, suffering] catches 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 .

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 16:19

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 .

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 18:3

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 .

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 19:13

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 .

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 21:13

For Behold see 1.6.

Good News Translation has rendered I am against you as “I will fight against you.” The expression is certainly some kind of threat. In Hebrew the pronoun you is feminine, and so many scholars believe that verses 13-14 are directed against the city of Jerusalem. However, the two descriptive phrases (inhabitant of the valley and rock of the plain) do not fit Jerusalem, which suggests that originally the message may have been directed against another city. Good News Translation names Jerusalem in the text, though it also provides a more general interpretation in a footnote. In light of the descriptive phrases, some scholars (see New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch footnotes) assume that the reference is to the royal palace, which would include the king and his family. Another argument in favor of Jerusalem is given by one commentator who would understand the Hebrew that Revised Standard Version translates as inhabitant of the valley to mean “over this valley.” New International Version seems to have followed this, naming Jerusalem and translating “Jerusalem, you who live above this valley on the rocky plateau.” Therefore inhabitant of the valley can be “you who live in the valley” or “you who live above the valley.” As for rock of the plain, translators can render this “[you who live] on the flat rock,” “on the rock over the plain,” or “on the rocky plain.”

For says the LORD, see 1.8.

Who shall come down against us, or who shall enter our habitations?: Come down against us means in this context “attack us” (New Jerusalem Bible). Enter our habitations is better rendered “break through … defenses” (see Good News Translation). The word habitations has as its root meaning a den for wild animals, which is the basis for Revised English Bible “who can penetrate our lairs?” However, the figure is transferred to the defenses of the city being attacked. Who shall come down … and who shall enter … are rhetorical questions that in fact are affirmations by the people: “No one can attack us [successfully], and no one can break through our defenses.”

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 23:2

Therefore thus says the LORD: See 2.2.

Shepherds: As in verse 1, this is an image for the rulers of the people.

Who care for my people is best understood with the meaning “who were supposed to take care of his people” (see Good News Translation). However, most versions have just “who take care of my people.” In Hebrew care for and shepherds come from the same Hebrew root. The rulers were supposed to be as concerned for the needs of the people as shepherds are for their sheep.

In the construction, You have scattered, the pronoun You is emphatic.

My flock can be expressed as “my people” or “the people who are my flock.” Flock translates the same Hebrew word as “sheep” in the previous verse.

As Revised Standard Version indicates, there is a play on words between not attended to and will attend to. New Jerusalem Bible represents the wordplay by translating, “You … have not taken care of them … I shall take care of you….” In Hebrew the wordplay actually continues into verse 4, where the verb “shall … be missing” comes from the same root. It will be almost impossible to find a language in which the wordplay may be carried through successfully in all three instances, and it is even doubtful if this may be done in the two places of this verse with much success in most languages. But possibilities include “You have not taken care of them, but I will take care to see you are dealt with” and “You did not look after them, so I will watch to be sure you are dealt with.” Good News Translation does away with the wordplay entirely: “You have not taken care of … I am going to punish you….”

For Behold see 1.6.

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 23:35

Neighbor and brother are used as parallel constructions, as are the two questions What has the LORD answered? and What has the LORD spoken? Good News Translation translates neighbor … brother as “friends … relatives.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates the first part of the verse as “Instead of this each one of you must ask one another….” Bible en français courant is similar to Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch. Most translations retain both forms of the question.

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 25:17

From the LORD’s hand: This information may be easily understood by readers, and left out of the text, as in Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “So I took the cup and….”

Drink it: It is better to have “drink from it” (Good News Translation) or “drink what was in it”; see verse 15.

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 .