Ixcatlán Mazatec: “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom)
Noongar: dwangka-boola, lit. “ear much” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018 — see also remember)
Kwere “to know how to live well” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Dobel: “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes)
Gbaya: iŋa-mgbara-mɔ or “knowing-about-things” (note that in comparison to that, “knowledge” is translated as iŋa-mɔ or “knowing things”) (source: Philip Noss in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 114ff. )
Chichewa: nzeru, meaning both “knowledge” and “wisdom” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a hand gesture referring to God to indicate a human quality to communicate that wisdom does not originate from man but is linked to and connected with the fear of God (source: Jenjelvi Biblia and Andrea Bokros):
The following is a stained glass window from the Three choir windows in the Marienkirche, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, of the 14th century, depicting Solomon and the Queen of Sheba:
Source: Der gläserne Schatz: Die Bilderbibel der St. Marienkirche in Frankfurt (Oder), Neuer Berlin Verlag, 2005, copyright for this image: Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum
Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 10:8:
Kupsabiny: “How comfortable/in a good position your people are! And how well it is with your servants who are always doing for you work and listen to the greatness of your wisdom!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Your people are blessed! Being before you every day, these officials of yours are blessed to hear your words of wisdom.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “How fortunate are your men! How fortunate are your officials who serve you for they always hear your wisdom.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Your wives are very fortunate! Your officials who are constantly standing in front of you and listening to the wise things that you say are also fortunate!” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Happy are your wives: The Hebrew term translated Happy may be interpreted as “blessed,” “fortunate” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible), or even “lucky” (New Century Version, Contemporary English Version).
The Masoretic Text in this verse says “Happy are your men” (followed by New American Bible, New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Nouvelle Bible Segond, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The Septuagint and the ancient Syriac say “Happy are your wives,” and this is the basis for the translations in both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (also Revised English Bible, Parole de Vie, Osty-Trinquet, La Bible Pléiade). The Hebrew words for wives (nashim) and “men” (ʾanashim) are very similar. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {C} rating to the variant reading your wives and suggests that scribes changed the Hebrew words for your wives to “your men” in order to omit the mention of Solomon’s wives, who had led him to worship other gods.
If the Masoretic Text is followed, translators may choose to identify “your men” (New International Version, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) as “your officials.” In this case “your men” and your servants may be parallel in meaning. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible takes the first phrase to refer to “your people” in general.
Who continually stand before you: The Hebrew expression “to stand before someone” means “to be ready to serve someone.” The same expression occurs with this meaning in 1 Kgs 12.6, 8; 17.1; 22.21.
Hear your wisdom: The verse ends in Hebrew with the abstract noun wisdom. Good News Translation restates this to say “hear your wise sayings,” but “wise sayings” probably narrows the focus too much. It will be better to use a more general term such as wisdom if possible in the receptor language.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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