village

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “village” or “town” in English is translated in Noongar as karlamaya or “fire (used for “home“) + houses” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In Elhomwe it is typically translated as “place.” “Here in Malawi, villages very small, so changed to ‘places,’ since not sure whether biblical reference just to small villages or also to bigger towns. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 4:50

That all the country which they would occupy should be theirs without tribute: The Jews would not have to pay taxes (tribute) to the imperial government. We may render this clause as “In fact, those Jews who are returning to Judah will not have to pay any taxes on their land” (Contemporary English Version) or simply “The Jews returning to Judah would not have to pay taxes.”

That the Idumeans should give up the villages of the Jews which they held: Idumea was the territory of ancient Edom, southeast of the Dead Sea (see verse 45). While the people of Judah were exiled in Babylonia, the Idumeans/Edomites had moved into their territory. Here Darius orders them removed, so that the Jews can reclaim their ancestral land. We may render this clause as “The Idumeans [or, Edomites] must give back the villages they took from the Jews” or “The Edomites who have been living in towns [or, villages] in Judah must leave those towns.”

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.