angel

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The Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic that is translated as “angel” in English versions is translated in many ways:

  • Pintupi-Luritja: ngaṉka ngurrara: “one who belongs in the sky” (source: Ken Hansen quoted in Steven 1984a, p. 116.)
  • Tetela, Kpelle, Balinese, and Mandarin Chinese: “heavenly messenger”
  • Shilluk / Igede: “spirit messenger”
  • Mashco Piro: “messenger of God”
  • Batak Toba: “envoy, messenger”
  • Navajo: “holy servant” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida 1961; Igede: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Central Mazahua: “God’s worker” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.)
  • Saramaccan: basia u Masa Gaangadu köndë or “messenger from God’s country” (source: Jabini 2015, p. 86)
  • Mairasi: atatnyev nyaa or “sent-one” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “word bringer” (source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
  • Apali: “God’s one with talk from the head” (“basically God’s messenger since head refers to any leader’s talk”) (source: Martha Wade)
  • Michoacán Nahuatl: “clean helper of God” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Noongar: Hdjin-djin-kwabba or “spirit good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Wè Northern (Wɛɛ): Kea ‘a “sooa or “the Lord’s soldier” (also: “God’s soldier” or “his soldier”) (source: Drew Maust)
  • Iwaidja: “a man sent with a message” (Sam Freney explains the genesis of this term [in this article): “For example, in Darwin last year, as we were working on a new translation of Luke 2:6–12 in Iwaidja, a Northern Territory language, the translators had written ‘angel’ as ‘a man with eagle wings’. Even before getting to the question of whether this was an accurate term (or one that imported some other information in), the word for ‘eagle’ started getting discussed. One of the translators had her teenage granddaughter with her, and this word didn’t mean anything to her at all. She’d never heard of it, as it was an archaic term that younger people didn’t use anymore. They ended up changing the translation of ‘angel’ to something like ‘a man sent with a message’, which is both more accurate and clear.”)

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) is used as in mi-tsukai (御使い) or “messenger (of God).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also angel (Acts 12:15) and this devotion on YouVersion .

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 10:29 - 10:30

As I was speaking these words, behold, the angel who had come to me at first came to me: The word behold introduces the next thing Ezra saw in his vision. Here it may be rendered “I saw.” The angel who had come to me at first refers to Uriel (see 2 Esd 4.1), which Good News Bible makes clear by saying “the angel Uriel.” This sentence may be translated “While I was speaking, I saw the angel Uriel appear to me again.”

And he looked upon me, and behold, I lay there like a corpse and I was deprived of my understanding: When Uriel looked at Ezra, Ezra fainted. According to Good News Bible, Ezra had fainted before Uriel looked at him, but this is incorrect. The word behold introduces the surprising idea of Ezra fainting. Here it may be rendered “he saw” or “suddenly.” I lay like a corpse may be translated “I lay there like I was dead” (similarly Contemporary English Version) or “I lay on the ground like a dead man [or, person].” I was deprived of my understanding means Ezra had fainted; he lay unconscious, unable to move (compare 2 Esd 5.14). We may render this whole sentence as “When he looked at me, I suddenly fainted and lay on the ground like a dead man.”

Then he grasped my right hand and strengthened me and set me on my feet: Compare Ezek 2.1-2. This sentence may be expressed as “So he grabbed my right hand, gave me strength, and helped me to stand up” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

And said to me: Uriel asks several questions in the next verse, so the verb said is better rendered “asked” (Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version).

Here is an alternative model for these two verses:

• 29 I was still speaking when the angel Uriel who had come to me before appeared again. When he looked at me, 30 I suddenly fainted and lay on the ground like a dead man. Then he took my right hand and my strength returned. He helped me to my feet, and asked….

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.