trumpet

The musical instrument that is most often translated as “trumpet” in English is translated in the following ways:

In the UBS Helps for Translators‘ Human-made Things in the Bible (original title: The Works of Their Hands: Man-made Things in the Bible) it says the following:

Description: The trumpet was a wind instrument, frequently used in signaling, especially in connection with war. It was made of metal (the trumpets mentioned in Numbers 10:2 et al. were made of silver). It was a straight, narrow tube, about 40-45 centimeters (16-18 inches) in length. One end had a mouthpiece, while the other end was widened into a bell shape.

Usage: The sound on the trumpet was made by blowing into the mouthpiece in such a way as to vibrate the lips. The vibrations were magnified as they passed along the widening body of the tube.

The purpose of the trumpet in Israel was primarily to signal. Numbers 10 lists a variety of occasions in which the trumpets were to be used, including signaling the people to break camp, calling all of the people together for a meeting, calling only the leaders together, sounding an alarm at the beginning of a battle, and blowing them for liturgical purposes during certain festivals. It is significant that it was the task of the priests to sound the trumpets.

Translation: Generally speaking, translators may distinguish between the Hebrew words chatsotsrah and shofar by rendering chatsotsrah as “trumpet” or “bugle” and shofar with a more generic word for “horn” or with “ram’s horn.” Note the following comment in Translation commentary on Psalm 98:4 – 98:6: “In some languages it will not be possible to make a distinction between the two Hebrew terms translated trumpets and horn. In such cases the local term for a horn will be used. The Greek Old Testament used only one term.”

The exact meaning of the Aramaic word qeren in Daniel 3:5 and following is debated. It probably refers to a brass wind instrument and is best rendered “horn.”

The present-day equivalent for the Greek word salpigx is “bugle.” A bugle is generally smaller than a trumpet and is often associated with the sounding of military signals.

Man blowing a trumpet (source: Horace Knowles (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1954, 1967, 1972)

Quoted with permission.

See also trumpet / bugle.

complete verse (Daniel 7:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 7:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “As I watched these horns, I saw another little horn which came out from the middle of the other ten. Then the little horn uprooted three horns of those ten. This little horn had human eyes and a mouth which spoke arrogantly.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “While I was looking at the horns, another small horn suddenly sprouted up among the horns. Then three of the former horns were uprooted by that new horn. On that horn were human-like eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘While I was-looking at the horns, I saw that a small horn sprouted and uprooted/tore-off the three horns. This horn had eyes like a man and a mouth that boasted.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “While I was looking at those horns, I saw a little horn appear on the head of that beast. It tore out three of the other horns. This little horn had eyes like humans have, and it had a mouth with which it spoke very boastfully.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 7:8

Considered: the main component of this verb is the idea of looking intently at an object. It may be better translated “looked at,” “was gazing upon” (New Jerusalem Bible), “examined” (Bible en français courant), “watched” (An American Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, and Moffatt). New International Version translates “thinking about,” but this is less desirable.

Behold: the particle is used twice in this verse but may be omitted in many languages. See verses 2 and 5-7, as well as 2.31 and 4.10, 13.

Before which … were plucked up: the structure of Revised Standard Version is complex and should probably be transformed in most languages. As in Good News Translation, a new sentence will be required in many cases. The idea is that the small horn that had not been apparent previously now dislodges three of the others. The agent of the passive expression were plucked up is not certain. In those languages without passive forms, translators may have to say “someone pulled out” or “they (indefinite) removed by force.” But it will be noted that Good News Translation makes the “little horn” the agent here. This does seem to fit the historical description provided in verse 24b.

Speaking great things: the Aramaic term used here has a clearly negative meaning probably indicating pride or arrogance. This meaning should definitely be conveyed in the translation. In addition to the Good News Translation model, compare the following renderings: “spoke boastfully” (New International Version), “spoke arrogantly” (New American Bible; similarly New Revised Standard Version), “uttered bombast” (Revised English Bible), “a mouth full of proud words” (Moffatt).

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .