silent / quiet / keep peace

The Hebrew that is translated “silent,” “quiet,” or “keep peace” or similar in English is emphasized in the interconfessional Chichewa translation (publ. 1999) with the ideophone phee. (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 105)

Philip Noss (in The Bible Translator 1976, p. 100ff. ) explains the function of an ideophone: “The ideophone may be identified with onomatopoeia and other sound words frequently seen in French and English comic strips, but in [many] African languages it comprises a class of words with a very wide range of meaning and usage. They may function verbally, substantively, or in a modifying role similar to adverbs and adjectives. They describe anything that may be experienced: action, sound, color, quality, smell, or emotion. In oral literature they are used not only with great frequency but also with great creativity.”

ceased / calmed down

In Gbaya, the notion of ceasing, calming down, or subsiding of something (such as the wind, the water or the earth) is emphasized in the referenced verses with dezeŋ, an ideophone that describes something that is completely calmed down or that subsided.

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

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 1:3

He advanced to the ends of the earth: The ends of the earth is an idiom meaning “the farthest parts of the earth [or, world].” Even though Alexander only reached India, in the mind of the writer he went to the farthest point of the earth.

And plundered many nations: To “plunder” is to rob people of their valuables. This clause may be rendered “and forcibly took the possessions [or, valuable belongings] of people everywhere.”

When the earth became quiet before him means that Alexander’s army no longer met any resistance. Good News Bible translates “when he had conquered the world,” but the author was surely referring to the world as the author knew it, not to the world as we know it today. Other possible models are “When he had conquered all the people [or, nations]” or “… every nation on earth.”

He was exalted, and his heart was lifted up: In Greek his heart is probably the subject for the verb was exalted also. Was exalted and was lifted up have practically the same meaning. Good News Bible says “he became proud and arrogant.” The New English Bible (New English Bible) is also good with “his pride knew no limits,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “his ambitious heart swelled with pride.” Many languages will have suitable idiomatic expressions for pride using the idea of heart or liver; for example, “his heart/liver puffed up [or, became high].”

There are a number of ways of combining verses 2 and 3. Here is one possibility:

• As he [or, he and his soldiers] advanced to the farthest parts of the earth, he [or, they] fought many battles and captured many places with strong walls. He [or, They] also killed local rulers [or, kings/high chiefs] and forcibly took the possessions of people everywhere. When Alexander had conquered all the people of the world, he became proud and arrogant.

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.