gentiles

The Greek that is often translated as “gentiles” (or “nations”) in English is often translated as a “local equivalent of ‘foreigners,'” such as “the people of other lands” (Guerrero Amuzgo), “people of other towns” (Tzeltal), “people of other languages” (San Miguel El Grande Mixtec), “strange peoples” (Navajo) (this and above, see Bratcher / Nida), “outsiders” (Ekari), “people of foreign lands” (Kannada), “non-Jews” (North Alaskan Inupiatun), “people being-in-darkness” (a figurative expression for people lacking cultural or religious insight) (Toraja-Sa’dan) (source for this and three above Reiling / Swellengrebel), “from different places all people” (Martu Wangka) (source: Carl Gross).

Tzeltal translates it as “people in all different towns,” Chicahuaxtla Triqui as “the people who live all over the world,” Highland Totonac as “all the outsider people,” Sayula Popoluca as “(people) in every land” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Chichimeca-Jonaz as “foreign people who are not Jews,” Sierra de Juárez Zapotec as “people of other nations” (source of this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), Highland Totonac as “outsider people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Uma as “people who are not the descendants of Israel” (source: Uma Back Translation), and Yakan as “the other tribes” (source: Yakan Back Translation).

See also nations.

David

The name that is transliterated as “David” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign signifying king and a sling (referring to 1 Samuel 17:49 and 2 Samuel 5:4). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff.)


“Elizabeth” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is only the sling. (See here ).


“David” in German Sign Language (source )

The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about David (source: Bible Lands 2012)

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)

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 14:36

This will be a good place to make a paragraph break (so Good News Bible).

And in his days things prospered in his hands: Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version do not express this clause, perhaps assuming that it is well enough expressed in the specifics that follow. However, we prefer to keep it. Translators may say “With Simon as their leader, things went well.”

So that the Gentiles were put out of the country: This clause refers to the removal of the Gentiles from the cities of Bethzur, Joppa, and Gezer (see verses 33-34), as well as from the Jerusalem fort mentioned in the next clause. For Gentiles see 1Macc 1.11. The country is literally “their country,” which is ambiguous, but clearly refers to the country of the Jews. Good News Bible translates simply “the land,” which is clear enough in this context. We may also say “our country” or “this land.” An alternative model for this clause is “As the ruler of Judea, he forced the Gentiles out of this land.” This clause and the following one may be moved to the end of the verse (see the model below).

As were also the men in the city of David in Jerusalem: The men refers not only to the Syrian soldiers but also to the Jewish traitors occupying the fortress in Jerusalem, and using it as a place of safety from the Maccabees. For the city of David, see the comments on 1Macc 1.33; this will explain Good News Bible‘s rendering “the area north of the Temple.” An alternative model for this clause is “He also forced the Syrian soldiers and traitorous Jews out of the area in Jerusalem near the Temple.”

Who had built themselves a citadel from which they used to sally forth may be translated “They had built a fortress there from which they could go out and attack our people.”

And defile the environs of the sanctuary and do great damage to its purity may be rendered “and made the Temple and the areas around it unfit for worship.”

A model that reorders the clauses in this verse is:

• “The Gentiles had built a fortress in Jerusalem near the Temple and stationed both Syrian and traitorous Jewish soldiers there. They would go out of it and attack our people, and make the Temple and the areas around it impure [or, unfit for worship]. But under Simon’s leadership the Gentiles were forced out of Judea, and he got rid of the enemy soldiers in the fortress.

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.