elder (of the community)

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated as “elders” in English is translated in the Danish Bibelen 2020 as folkets ledere or “leaders of the people.”

Martin Ehrensvärd, one of the translators, explains: “The term ‘elder’ turned out to pose a particularly thorny problem. In traditional bibles, you can find elders all of over the place and they never pose a problem for a translator, they are just always elders. But how to find a contemporary term for this semi-official, complex position? This may have been our longest-standing problem. A couple of times we thought we had the solution, and then implemented it throughout the texts, only to find out that it didn’t work. Like when we used city council or village council, depending on the context. In the end we felt that the texts didn’t work with such official terms, and throughout the years in the desert, these terms didn’t make much sense. Other suggestions were ‘the eldest and wisest’, ‘the respected citizens’, ‘the Israelites with a certain position in society’, ‘the elder council’ –- and let me point out that these terms sound better in Danish than in English (‘de fremtrædende borgere,’ ‘de mest fremtrædende israelitter,’ ‘alle israelitter med en vis position,’ ‘de ældste og de klogeste,’ ‘ældsterådet’). In the end we just said ‘leaders of the people.’ After a lot of hand-wringing, it turned out that we actually found a term that worked well. So, we had to give up conveying the fact that they were old, but the most important point is that they were community leaders.” (Source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )

The German das Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022) translates likewise as “leader of the people” (Anführer des Volkes).

See also elders of Israel (Judah).

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 6:10

These operations are going on rapidly refers to the speedy rebuilding of the Temple. We may say “They are rebuilding the Temple very quickly.”

And the work is prospering in their hands: In their hands is an idiom meaning “as they work.” This clause may be rendered “and their work is moving ahead steadily” (similarly Good News Bible).

And being completed with all splendor and care: Good News Bible provides a helpful model here, saying “yet they are taking great care and doing their work beautifully.” Good News Bible begins with the conjunction “yet” to make a contrast with the first half of the verse. In the first half the writers say that the work is being done quickly, but they also want to say that in spite of the speed with which the work is being done, it is being done carefully, and the results are good. Contemporary English Version‘s model misses this contrast. This clause may be translated “but they are working carefully and making a beautiful building.”

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.