confused / dismayed

In Gbaya, the notion of confusion or dismay is emphasized in the referenced verses with yelem, an ideophone that expresses becoming confused, not knowing what to think.

Note that for 1 Maccabees 10:74 the Gbaya translators interpreted along the lines of the French Traduction œcuménique de la Bible which has “he was completely shaken by it” ( il en fut tout ébranlé) instead of the New Revised Standard Version, updated edition‘s “his spirit was aroused.”

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

Jerusalem

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:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

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)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 10:74

We recommend that translators begin a new paragraph here (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible).

When Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, his spirit was aroused: His spirit was aroused means “he became angry” (Good News Bible). Apollonius wanted Jonathan to react to his message in this way. A possible model for this sentence is “Jonathan was furious when he received this message [or, read this letter].”

He chose ten thousand men and set out from Jerusalem, and Simon his brother met him to help him: The verb chose implies that Jonathan picked “elite troops” (Good News Bible; compare the comments on “picked” at 1Macc 4.28 and 6.35). This sentence may be rendered “He set out from Jerusalem with 10,000 of his best soldiers. While they were marching, his brother Simon joined him to help him [or, with reinforcements].”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.