enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, 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 ).

In Cherokee it is either translated as “the one(s) who reprimand(s) you” or “the one(s) feared.” (Source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 47)

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 5:16

When Judas and the people heard these messages may be rendered “When Judas and the people heard all this” (Good News Bible) or “Judas and his troops listened to these reports” (Contemporary English Version).

A great assembly was called: Goldstein renders a great assembly as “a mass meeting.” However, a high-level conference is probably in view, since in verse 17 only the leaders are involved. The passive verb was called may be expressed as an active one by rendering this clause as follows: “Judas called a conference of the leaders.”

To determine what they should do for their brethren: Their brethren may be rendered “their fellow Jews” or “these other Jews.”

Who were in distress and were being attacked by enemies: In a number of languages it will be helpful to reorder these clauses; for example, “who were being attacked by their enemies and were in great trouble.” The last half of this verse may be rendered “to decide what they should do for these other Jews. Their enemies were attacking them and they were in great trouble.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Judas and the people listened to these messages. Then Judas called a conference of the leaders [or, a mass meeting was called] to decide what they should do to help these other Jews who were being attacked by their enemies and were in great trouble.

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.