Most High

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Ge’ez, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “he the completely glorified God”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
  • Palantla Chinantec: “the Big God Himself”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
  • Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Elhomwe: Mulluku Muullupalli or “God the Great” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa: Wammwambamwamba: A name of God. While this word is difficult to translate into English, its sense implies that God is highly above everything in his power and greatness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

sorrow

The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is translated in English as “painful” or “sorrow” is translated in Huba as “cut the insides.” David Frank explains: “Huba has just one expression that covers both ‘angry’ and ‘sad.’ They don’t make a distinction in their language. I suppose you could say that the term they use means more generically, ‘strong emotional reaction’ (source: David Frank in this blog post ). Similarly, in Bariai it is “the interior is severed/cut” (source: Bariai Back Translation).

In Noongar it is translated as koort-warra or “heart bad.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)

In Enlhet it is translated as “going aside of the innermost.” “Innermost” or valhoc is a term that is frequently used in Enlhet to describe a large variety of emotions or states of mind (for other examples see here). (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. )

See also grieving / sorrowful.

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 10:24

Therefore shake off your great sadness: Here Ezra concludes by telling the woman to stop being sad. This clause may be rendered “So put aside your sadness, great as it is” or even “So stop being so sad.”

And lay aside your many sorrows means the same thing as the previous clause. A possible model for both clauses is “So stop being so sad and sorrowful.”

So that the Mighty One may be merciful to you again, and the Most High may give you rest, a relief from your troubles: The conjunction so that introduces these clauses as the grounds for Ezra’s admonition to the woman. He uses the word again since God showed the woman mercy earlier by giving here a son (see 2 Esd 9.45). The Mighty One may be translated “God Almighty” or “God who is All-Powerful.” The Most High is similar to the Mighty One. A possible model for this last half of the verse is “Then God, who is All-powerful and above all other gods, may show you mercy once again by giving you peace and relief from your troubles.”

This is the end of Ezra’s speaking. Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• So put aside your sadness, great as it is, and forget all your many sorrows. Then God Almighty, the Most High, may show you mercy once again, and you will find peace, and relief from your troubles.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.