18Now if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not only refuse to pay tribute but will even resist kings. Since the building of the temple is now going on, we think it best not to neglect such a matter but to speak to our lord the king in order that, if it seems good to you, search may be made in the records of your ancestors.
The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
In many English translations the Greek terms “hieron” (the whole “temple” in Jerusalem or specifically the outer courts open to worshippers) and “naos” (the inner “shrine” or “sanctuary”) are translated with only one word: “temple” (see also for instance “Tempel” in German [for exception see below] and “tempel” in Dutch, Danish, or Afrikaans).
Other languages make a distinction: (Click or tap here to see more)
Navajo (Dinė): “house in which worship is carried out” (for naos)
Balinese: “inner part of the Great Temple” (“the term ‘inner part’ denoting the hindmost and holiest of the two or three courts that temples on Bali usually possess”) vs. “Great Temple”
Telugu: “womb (i.e. interior)-of-the-abode” vs. “abode”
Thai: a term denoting the main audience hall of a Buddhist temple compound vs. “environs-of-the-main-audience-hall”
Kituba: “place of holiness of house-God Lord” vs. “house-God Lord”
Shipibo-Conibo: “deep in God’s house” vs. “God’s house” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Germandas Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022): “inner court of the temple” (Tempelinnenhof) vs. “temple”
Languages that, like English, German, Dutch, Danish, or Afrikaans, don’t make that distinction include:
Toraja-Sa’dan: “house that is looked upon as holy, that is sacred, that is taboo and where one may not set foot” (lit. “house where-the-belly-gets-swollen” — because taboo is violated — using a term that is also applied to a Muslim mosque) (source for this and the three above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Aguaruna: “the house for talking to God” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Guhu-Samane: “festival longhouse of God” (“The biiri, ‘festival longhouse’, being the religious and social center of the community, is a possible term for ‘temple’. It is not the ‘poro house’ as such. That would be too closely identified with the cult of poro. The physical features of the building, huge and sub-divided, lend it further favor for this consideration. By qualifying it as ‘God’s biiri’ the term has become meaningful and appropriate in the context of the Scriptures.”) (Source: Ernest Richert in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. )
Enga: “God’s restricted access house” (source: Adam Boyd on his blog )
Another distinction that tends to be overlooked in translations is that between hieron (“temple” in English) and sunagógé (“synagogue” in English). Euan Fry (in The Bible Translator 1987, p. 213ff. ) reports on this:
“Many older translations have simply used transliterations of ‘temple’ and ‘synagogue’ rather than trying to find equivalent terms or meaningful expressions in their own languages. This approach does keep the two terms separate; but it makes the readers depend on explanations given by pastors or teachers for their understanding of the text.
“Translators who have tried to find meaningful equivalents, for the two terms ‘temple’ and ‘synagogue’ have usually made a distinction between them in one of two ways (which focus on the contrasting components of meaning). One way takes the size and importance of the Temple to make a contrast, so that expressions such as ‘sacred meeting/ worship house of the Jews’ and ‘big sacred meeting/worship house of the Jews’ are used. The other way focuses on the different nature of the religious activity at each of the places, so that expressions such as ‘meeting/worship house of the Jews’ and ‘sacrifice/ceremony place of the Jews’ are used.
“It is not my purpose in this article to discuss how to arrive at the most precise equivalent to cover all the components of meaning of ‘temple’. That is something that each translator really has to work through for himself in the light of the present usage and possibilities in his own language. My chief concern here is that the basic term or terms chosen for ‘temple’ should give the reader of a translation a clear and correct picture of the location referred to in each passage. And I am afraid that in many cases where an equivalent like ‘house of God’ or ‘worship house’ has been chosen, the readers have quite the wrong picture of what going to the Temple or being in the Temple means. (This may be the case for the word ‘temple’ in English too, for many readers.)”
Here are some examples:
Bambara: “house of God” (or: “big house of worship”) vs. “worship house” (or: “small houses of worship”)
Toraja-Sa’dan: “house where-the-belly-gets-swollen” (see above) vs. “meeting house for discussing matters concerning religious customs” (and “church” is “house where one meets on Sunday”)
Navajo (Dinė): “house in which worship is carried out” vs. “house of gathering” (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida)
Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Herod’s temple (source: Bible Lands 2012)Click or tap here to see a short video clip showing synagogues in New Testament times (source: Bible Lands 2012)
Now be it known to our lord the king is a highly formal way of introducing the information that follows. In a less formal manner Good News Bible has “We want Your Majesty to know,” and Contemporary English Version is even simpler with “We want you to know.” Either of these models says what needs to be said, but translators should use an expression that makes an important person aware of information.
That the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem: This is the first time in 1 Esdras that the Israelites who returned from Babylonia are referred to as Jews. See the comments on 1 Esdras 2.5 for the idea of “going/coming up to Jerusalem.” Even though the Persian officials are writing this letter, the writer of 1 Esdras (and the writer of the parallel passage of Ezra 4.12) has them use an idiom familiar to the residents of Jerusalem. Since the king is being addressed, many translators must be careful to use forms of the pronouns for you and us that are appropriate to dealing with a superior. We may render the first part of this verse as follows: “Your Majesty, we wish to inform you that the Jews who left Babylonia and have come here to Jerusalem” or “We want you to know that the Jews who have left your country have moved back to Jerusalem” (Contemporary English Version).
And are building that rebellious and wicked city: Here the verb building is better rendered “rebuilding” (Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). It is not clear why Jerusalem should be referred to as rebellious and wicked in this context, since so far the Jewish authorities have cooperated with the Persian authorities. But in verses 22-23 the letter writers will refer to the rebellious history of the city. In some languages it may seem strange to refer to a city as rebellious and wicked. If so, this clause may be rendered “and are rebuilding that city, where the people are so rebellious and wicked” or even “… where the people have always been wicked and have rebelled against authority.”
Repairing its market places and walls: It is important to make it clear that the walls are the ones that surround and protect the city, not just some walls near the market places. Market places were open places in a city, often formed by the intersection of two or more streets. They were places for bartering, buying, and selling. For city walls, see the comments on 1 Esd 1.55. This clause may be translated “They are repairing the city walls and the marketplaces.”
And laying the foundations for a temple may be rendered “and are laying the foundation to build a Temple” or “and are relaying the foundation to rebuild the Temple.”
Alternative models for this verse are:
• Your Majesty, we wish to inform you that the Jews, who left Babylonia and have come here, are busy rebuilding Jerusalem, a wicked city that has always rebelled against authority. They are repairing the city walls and the marketplaces, and are laying the foundations for a Temple [or, to rebuild the Temple].
• … rebuilding Jerusalem, where the inhabitants have always been wicked and have rebelled against authority….
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.
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