cattle, livestock

The Hebrew that is translated in English as “livestock” (or “cattle”) is translated in Newari as “living beings brought up in a house” or “living beings cared for in a house” (source: Newari Back Translation). Specifically “cattle” is “cows and oxen.”

In Kwere it is “animals that are being kept.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

drink

In Telugu different verbs for humans drinking (tāgu / తాగు) and animals drinking (cēḍu / చేడు) are required.

Judah, Judea

The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)


“Judah” and “Judea” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Judah, Judah (son of Jacob) , and Tribe of Judah .

army

The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin that is translated as “army” in English is translated in Chichewa as “group of warriors.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

complete verse (2 Kings 3:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 3:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, the ruler of Israel went with the one of Judah and the one of Edom into that war. They went, but on the seventh day, water ran out for the soldiers and the animals which were carrying (things).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So the King of Israel, the King of Judah and the King of Edom went out together. After they had marched an indirect route for seven days the water for the army and their animals had been used up.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So the king of Israel and the king of Juda set-out/journeyed, including the king of Edom. After seven days of journey, the soldiers and their animals ran-out of water.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So the king of Israel and his army went with the kings of Judah and Edom and their armies. They marched for seven days. Then there was no water left for their soldiers or for their animals that carried supplies.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

king

Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 3:9

So: The common Hebrew conjunction here provides a logical transition moving the story along to the next step.

The king of Edom: While the writer goes to great pains to describe the entrance of Judah into this battle, the presence of Edom is very casually introduced and almost seems to be taken for granted. The Edomites were related to the Israelites since they were the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob/Israel (Gen 36). At this time the Edomites were still vassals to the southern kingdom of Judah.

When they had made a circuitous march; that is, after they had taken the route to the south of the Dead Sea and then turned back north toward Moab. The detail of their circling around is left out of Good News Translation, but there is no convincing reason for this omission. New American Bible translates “After their roundabout journey.” Revised English Bible speaks of an “indirect route,” and New Jerusalem Bible refers to “a flanking movement.”

There was no water: The southern part of Judah and the country of Edom were very dry regions.

The beasts which followed them is literally “the animals that [were] at their feet.” This expression is normally used of those following closely behind a leader (compare 1 Kgs 20.10). These animals were, in fact, being led by some of the soldiers and were carrying food and other supplies for the soldiers. Hobbs translates “the animals who accompanied the foot soldiers” while Revised English Bible, similar to Good News Translation, refers to “their pack-animals.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Kings 3:9

3:9a So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out,

So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom started/marched ⌊toward the desert⌋ .

-or-

Then the king of Israel ⌊and his army⌋ set out ⌊to attack Moab⌋ . With him/them went the king of Judah ⌊and his army⌋ and the king of Edom ⌊and his army⌋ .

3:9b and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days,

After they had marched for seven days on the long/indirect road ⌊through the desert⌋ ,

-or-

They went south ⌊around the Dead Sea⌋ and then north ⌊through the wilderness of Edom⌋ . After seven days of travel/marching,

3:9c they had no water for their army or for their animals.

they had no water for their armies or for the animals following them.

-or-

there was no water remaining/left. There was nothing for the men/soldiers or their animals ⌊to drink⌋ .

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