scroll

The Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek that is translated in English as “scroll” is translated in Khoekhoe with xamiǂkhanisa or “rolled-up book” (source: project-specific notes in Paratext) and in Newari as “paper that has been rolled up” (source: Newari Back Translation).

See also roll up the scroll.

priest

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)

Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:

“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”

In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), and in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”

For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:

​​Bau cha r (បូជា‌ចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term “mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ)” used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.

See also idolatrous priests.

complete verse (Deuteronomy 17:18)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 17:18:

  • Kupsabiny: “And when/if he has taken up rulership in his country, he is to prepare his own copy of these laws. He must prepare that copy from the laws that the priests have.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “As soon as he becomes king, taking this law, which is with the Levitical priests, he must copy it with his own hand on a scroll [lit.: on paper that has been rolled up].” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘When he will- now -sit-down on the throne as king, he must copy these laws for himself before/[lit. in front-of] the priests who were the descendants of Levi.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘hen he becomes your king, he must appoint someone to copy these laws. He must copy them from the scroll that is kept by the priests who are descended from Levi.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

law

The Greek, Hebrew, and Ge’ez that is translated in English as “Law” or “law” is translated in Mairasi as oro nasinggiei or “prohibited things” (source: Enggavoter 2004) and in Noongar with a capitalized form of the term for “words” (Warrinya) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In Yucateco the phrase that is used for “law” is “ordered-word” (for “commandment,” it is “spoken-word”) (source: Nida 1947, p. 198) and in Central Tarahumara it is “writing-command.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

In a 1922 translation into Chagatai, a precursor language of both Uzbek and Uighur, it is translated with the Arabic loan word shari’at (شريعت), originally meaning “(Islamic) law (Shari’a).” (Source: F. Erbay and F.N. Küçükballı in Acta Theologica 2025 45/2, p. 133ff. )

See also teaching / law (of God) (Japanese honorifics).

teaching / law (of God) (Japanese honorifics)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-oshie (みおしえ) or “teaching (of God)” in the referenced verses.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also law.

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 17:18

When he sits on the throne of his kingdom: this seems to refer to the day the man God has chosen is installed as king. Revised English Bible has “When he has ascended the throne of his kingdom”; or we may translate more generally, “when he begins to rule [or, reign],” or even “When he becomes king” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). In cultures where chiefs rule, it may be necessary to talk about “sitting on his chair [or, stool].”

He shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law: the meaning of this part of the sentence is not completely clear. Revised Standard Version takes it to mean that the king himself is to make a copy of this law; but the text may mean “he is to have a copy made for him.” So New Revised Standard Version has “he shall have a copy of this law written for him” (also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum).

A book: here, more precisely, a scroll. If neither of these terms is available in a local language, the more general “he is to have a copy of this law made for him” may be used, without indicating the precise form the copy is to take.

There is much difference of opinion over the precise meaning of this law. The Hebrew noun is torah, which can mean:
(1) the complete Torah; this is most unlikely, but Good News Translation “the book of God’s laws and teachings” can be taken to mean this;
(2) the book of Deuteronomy, as we know it (see the use of this law in 1.5); this is the interpretation favored by most;
(3) a section of the book of Deuteronomy, especially chapters 12–26; while possible, this would be very difficult to indicate in translation.

Probably the best translation is to say “this book of the law,” without saying exactly what “this book” means; most readers will probably assume it means the book of Deuteronomy. However, if “book” is difficult to translate, we may simply say “a copy of these [or, God’s] laws.”

It is from the Septuagint translation of this verse that the book Deuteronomy gets its name. The Hebrew is “a copy of this law” (also Josh 8.32); the Septuagint translates “this second record of the law” (a similar translation in Josh 8.32).

From that which is in charge of the Levitical priests: the meaning of the Hebrew text here is disputed.
(1) Many take it as do Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (and New International Version, Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy), that the copy is to be made from the original, which is kept by the Levitical priests (in the sanctuary); this seems to be the meaning of the Septuagint.
(2) New Jerusalem Bible and Revised English Bible translate “at the dictation of the Levitical priests.”
(3) New Revised Standard Version has “in the presence of the Levitical priests.”
(4) New Jerusalem Bible has “written … by the Levitical priests,” with a footnote: “Nuance of Heb milliphne uncertain.”

It is recommended that the translation favored by Good News Translation and others be followed, namely, “from the original copy kept by the Levitical priests.” For Levitical priests see 17.9.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .