festival of Tabernacles

For translations of the Greek, Ge’ez, and Hebrew that is translated in English as “festival of Tabernacles” see here.

complete verse (Deuteronomy 31:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 31:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “After that Moses said to those people, ‘This is the word/matter that you must be doing when seven years have expired, the year when people are released from their debts during the days that the Festival of Shelters is celebrated.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then Moses gave them a command like this, "Every seven years, in the year to forgive debts, during the festival of shelters,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then Moises commanded them, ‘At the end of every seven years which-is the year for cancelling debts, the time of the Feast of Erecting/[lit. Causing-to-Stand] Roofed-Shelters,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Moses/I told them, ‘At the end of every seven years, at the time that all debts are canceled, read this to the people during the Festival of Living in Temporary Shelters.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Moses

The name that is transliterated as “Moses” in English means “taken out of the water,” “saved out of the water,” “a son.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

It is translated in Spanish Sign Language and Polish Sign Language with a sign in accordance with the depiction of Moses in the famous statue by Michelangelo (see here ). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Moses” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

American Sign Language also uses the sign depicting the horns but also has a number of alternative signs (see here ).

In French Sign Language, a similar sign is used, but it is interpreted as “radiance” (see below) and it culminates in a sign for “10,” signifying the 10 commandments:


“Moses” in French Sign Language (source )

The horns that are visible in Michelangelo’s statue are based on a passage in the Latin Vulgate translation (and many Catholic Bible translations that were translated through the 1950ies with that version as the source text). Jerome, the translator, had worked from a Hebrew text without the niqquds, the diacritical marks that signify the vowels in Hebrew and had interpreted the term קרו (k-r-n) in Exodus 34:29 as קֶ֫רֶן — keren “horned,” rather than קָרַו — karan “radiance” (describing the radiance of Moses’ head as he descends from Mount Sinai).

In Swiss-German Sign Language (and Hungarian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign depicting holding a staff. This refers to a number of times where Moses’s staff is used in the context of miracles, including the parting of the sea (see Exodus 14:16), striking of the rock for water (see Exodus 17:5 and following), or the battle with Amalek (see Exodus 17:9 and following).


“Moses” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with the sign that depicts the eye make up he would have worn as the adopted son of an Egyptian princess. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)


“Moses” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL

In Korean Sign Language it is translated with the sign that depicts the arms held up by Moses to assure the Israelites victory over the Amalekites (see Exodus 17:11).


“Moses” in Korean Sign Language, source: Korean Sign Language Bible House

In Estonian Sign Language Moses is depicted with a big beard. (Source: Liina Paales in Folklore 47, 2011, p. 43ff. )


“Moses” in Estonian Sign Language, source: Glossary of the EKNK Toompea kogudus

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

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Moses .

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 31:10

Moses commanded them: in the context them refers to the Levites and the elders, so translators should have something like “Moses commanded these priests and leaders” or “gave them to the priests and the leaders” (Contemporary English Version).

At the end of every seven years: as the statements in 14.28 and 15.1 show, this means “every seventh year” (New Jerusalem Bible). Bible en français courant has “Every seven years, the year of the forgiveness of debts,” Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje “Every seven years, in the year set for forgiveness of debts,” Contemporary English Version “the year when loans do not need to be repaid.”

The set time of the year of release: this is the year when all debts were forgiven; see 15.1-3. In a number of languages those two clauses may be combined (see Good News Translation).

The feast of booths: known also as Sukkoth (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version “Festival of Shelters”), this seven-day festival began on the date 15 Tishri, which corresponds more or less to the beginning of October (see 16.13-15).

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 .