enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 13:51

On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred and seventy-first year: This is early June of the year 141 b.c.

The Jews entered it with praise and palm branches: The Jews entered it may be rendered “Simon and his soldiers entered the fort” or even “Simon led his soldiers into the fortress” (Contemporary English Version). Palm branches were symbols of victory (see 2Macc 10.7; John 12.13; Rev 7.9). Compare the use of the palm branch in verse 37. With praise and palm branches may be translated “and they carried palm branches and praised Heaven [or, the One in Heaven].”

And with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs: For harps, cymbals, and stringed instruments, see the comments on 1Macc 4.52-54. The comments there on “lutes” would apply here to stringed instruments. In cultures where harps, cymbals, and stringed instruments are unknown, we may say simply “all kinds of musical instruments.” Hymns and songs may be rendered simply “all kinds of songs.” An alternative model for the first half of this verse is “On the twenty-third day of the second month in the year 171 of the Syrian Kingdom, Simon led his soldiers into the fort. They carried palm branches and praised Heaven [or, the One in Heaven] with all kinds of songs and musical instruments.”

Because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel: They praised God [the One in Heaven] for defeating the Syrians in the fort. So we may translate “because he [the One in Heaven] had completely defeated a dangerous enemy and chased them out of the land of Israel.”

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.