woe (to you)

The Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Ge’ez that is translated as “woe to you” or similar in English is translated in Martu Wangka as “you sit as sorry ones” (source: Carl Gross). Toraja-Sa’dan has two expressions that can be used: upu’ allomu or “to-their-end are your days” and sumpu sumandakmu or “finished is what-is-measured-out to you.” In the case of Luke 10:13, where “woe” is doubled, both are used for stylistic, non-repetitive purposes (see Reiling / Swellengrebel).

In Matumbi it is translated as Wakibona or “You will see” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext) and in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) with a phrase containing tsoka, a word to describe something bad that happens (or may happen) to a person because of doing something against established traditions in a community (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation).

In Hebrew it is translated as oy (אוֹי) and in Yiddish as oy (אוי) or vey (וֵויי). Note that oy vey in combination is also commonly used in Yiddish as an interjection of dismay and vey is derived from the German Wehe (which in turn has the same root than the English woe). (Source: Jost Zetzsche)

remember

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “remember” in English is translated in Mairasi as “it is (or: place it) in your liver’s crack” (source: Enggavoter 2004) and in Noongar as barrang-dwangka, literally “ear-hold” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018).

In Kalmyk, there is no equivalent to “remember,” so the translation there is “don’t forget.” (Source: David Clark in The Bible Translator 2015, p. 117ff. )

See also forget, wisdom, God remembered Noah and Seat of the Mind / Seat of Emotions.

Sodom

The name of that is transliterated as “Sodom” in English means “flaming,” “burning,” “mystery.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

Sodom and the story of its depravity, especially the attempted rape of the visitors to Lot, has come to refer to “sodomy” in many modern languages, including English, and many other European and non-European languages.

See also Onan.

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

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 2:8

In verses 8-9 God addresses Assyria instead of Ezra, so some languages may prefer to insert a quote frame here; for example, Contemporary English Version begins verse 8 with “The Lord said.” Another possible insertion is “The Lord said to Assyria.”

Woe to you, Assyria…!: The Latin word for Woe introduces a message of doom and judgment in this context. Woe to you may be rendered “You are doomed” or even “Trouble is going to come to you.” Assyria (now the northern part of Iraq) was the country that conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, and was itself overcome by Babylonia. Here Assyria is almost surely a reference to Rome, the great world power during the author’s time (compare 2 Esd 3.1 and Rev 14.8, where “Babylon” probably refers to Rome).

Who conceal the unrighteous in your midst may be rendered “because you give shelter to unrighteous people [or, sinners]” or even “because you let sinners hide in your land” (Contemporary English Version).

O wicked nation may be translated “You are a wicked nation” or even “You are wicked people.”

Remember what I did to Sodom and Gomorrah: Sodom and Gomorrah were the cities that the Lord destroyed because of their evil deeds (see Gen 18.20; 19.24-25).

Contemporary English Version has the following helpful model for this verse:

• The Lord said:
Assyria, you evil nation, you are in for trouble because you let sinners hide in your land. Do you remember what I did to the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah?

Another possible model is:

• “Assyria, you also are doomed, because you give shelter to unrighteous people. You are a wicked nation, and you should remember how I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah!

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.