These are the words raises the question of just what this section is intended to be an introduction to; the answer will affect the translation of the book. The Greek word for book is used in Jer 29.1 (36.1 in Greek) to refer to a “letter.” If the content of Baruch’s writing, that which is read aloud in verse 3, consists only of 1.10–3.8, then “letter” becomes a logical translation, and appropriate to the context. Some scholars, however, consider the word book here to refer to the entire book from 1.15 onward; this is the approach adopted here. In any case, there is a problem with These are the words, since this phrase does not refer to this paragraph. Baruch’s words do not begin until later, at verse 15. A translator could helpfully clarify the situation for the reader by some introductory device such as “Below you will find the book [or, words/content of the book] that Baruch wrote.”

Which Baruch the son of Neraiah … wrote in Babylon: Baruch was a companion of the prophet Jeremiah. The name in Hebrew means “one who is blessed.” “A descendant of” (Good News Translation) or “his ancestors included” avoids the repetitious words the son of. Translators may wish to consider placing Baruch’s genealogy in parentheses (see the alternative model below). This will allow the discourse to proceed smoothly from which Baruch to wrote in Babylon without the problem of fitting the names of Baruch’s ancestors in grammatically. “This book was written by…” (Good News Translation) allows the genealogy to close the sentence, but it misleads the reader by giving the impression that this sentence and paragraph are part of Baruch’s writing (there is a similar problem with Contemporary English Version).

For wrote in Babylon, Good News Translation has “It was written in Babylon.” An alternate approach would be “He was in Babylon when he wrote it.” This would fit in well with the circumstances of the writing given in the next verse. Translators in a number of languages will need to indicate that Babylon was a city. In cultures where only villages exist, it will be necessary to say something like “a large village with high walls around it named Babylon.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• Below you will find the words of the book that Baruch wrote. (He was the son of Neraiah, grandson of Mahseiah, and his other ancestors were Zedekiah, Hasadiah, and Hilkiah.) He wrote this book in the city of Babylon.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.