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 2 Maccabees 12:22

But when Judas‘first division appeared, terror and fear came over the enemy at the manifestation to them of him who sees all things: Timothy’s soldiers were in a camp outside the city of Carnaim, while their women and children were inside. So when Judas‘first division appeared may be rendered “When the first unit of Jewish soldiers reached Timothy’s camp.” The manifestation evidently refers to a vision of some kind, like the vision of the five horsemen in 2Macc 10.29-30. For him who sees all things, compare 2Macc 9.5. A different Greek phrase is used here, but it means the same, except that here it definitely means “the one who sees everything.” Good News Bible will work as a model for this whole sentence. Other possibilities are “But when the enemy first caught sight of Judas’ army, they were thrown into panic [or, terror-struck] by a vision sent by God, who sees everything” and even “But when the first group of Jewish soldiers reached Timothy’s camp, the God who sees everything terrified the enemy soldiers.”

And they rushed off in flight and were swept on, this way and that, so that often they were injured by their own men and pierced by the points of their swords: They rushed off in flight and were swept on, this way and that may be rendered “they began to run wildly about” (Good News Bible), “they scattered in all directions,” or even “they fled, falling over one another.” The last rendering could describe a riot after a soccer match, or a crowd is trying to escape a fire. This is what was happening here, except that these men had swords, and in the confusion many wounded their own men. Injured by their own men and pierced by the points of their own swords are two phrases that mean the same thing. Good News Bible combines them, saying “wounded by the swords of their own men,” which may be helpful in other languages. An alternative model for this whole sentence is “They began running in all directions, falling over one another, and many of them were wounded by the weapons of their own men.”

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.