The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “idol(s)” in English is translated in Central Subanen as ledawan or “images.” (Source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. )
In German, typically the term Götze is used. Originally this was used as a term of endearment for Gott (“God” — see here ), later for “icon” and “image, likeness.” Luther started to use it in the 16th century in the meaning of “false god, idol.”
Other terms that are used in German include Götzenbild(er) (“image[s] of idols”) or Bildnis (“image” — Protestant) / Kultbild (“cultish image” — Catholic) (used for instance in Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8). The latest revision of the Catholic Einheitsübersetzung (publ. 2016) also uses the neologism Nichtse (“nothings”) in 1 Chron. 16:26 and Psalm 96:5. (Source: Zetzsche)
The Hebrew that is typically translated as “sacred pole” in English is translated in Elhomwe with mafanwiiwa a Asherimu or “idol of Asherah” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext) and in the English translation by Goldingay (2018) as totem pole.
Bura-Pabir: “sacrifice mound” (source: Andy Warrren-Rothlin)
Kalanga: “fireplace of sacrifice” (source: project-specific notes in Paratext)
The Ignaciano translators decided to translate the difficult term in that language according to the focus of each New Testament passage in which the word appears (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight
Willis Ott (in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.) explains:
Matt. 5:23,24: “When you take your offering to God, and arriving, you remember…, do not offer your gift yet. First go to your brother…Then it is fitting to return and offer your offering to God.” (The focus is on improving relationships with people before attempting to improve a relationship with God, so the means of offering, the altar, is not focal.)
Matt. 23:18 (19,20): “You also teach erroneously: ‘If someone makes a promise, swearing by the offering-place/table, he is not guilty if he should break the promise. But if he swears by the gift that he put on the offering-place/table, he will be guilty if he breaks the promise.'”
Luke 1:11: “…to the right side of the table where they burn incense.”
Luke 11.51. “…the one they killed in front of the temple (or the temple enclosure).” (The focus is on location, with overtones on: “their crime was all the more heinous for killing him there”.)
Rom. 11:3: “Lord, they have killed all my fellow prophets that spoke for you. They do not want anyone to give offerings to you in worship.” (The focus is on the people’s rejection of religion, with God as the object of worship.)
1Cor. 9:13 (10:18): “Remember that those that attend the temple have rights to eat the foods that people bring as offerings to God. They have rights to the meat that the people offer.” (The focus is on the right of priests to the offered food.)
Heb. 7:13: “This one of whom we are talking is from another clan. No one from that clan was ever a priest.” (The focus in on the legitimacy of this priest’s vocation.)
Jas. 2:21: “Remember our ancestor Abraham, when God tested him by asking him to give him his son by death. Abraham was to the point of stabbing/killing his son, thus proving his obedience.” (The focus is on the sacrifice as a demonstration of faith/obedience.)
Rev. 6:9 (8:3,5; 9:13; 14:18; 16:7): “I saw the souls of them that…They were under the table that holds God’s fire/coals.” (This keeps the concepts of: furniture, receptacle for keeping fire, and location near God.)
Rev. 11:1: “Go to the temple, Measure the building and the inside enclosure (the outside is contrasted in v. 2). Measure the burning place for offered animals. Then count the people who are worshiping there.” (This altar is probably the brazen altar in a temple on earth, since people are worshiping there and since outside this area conquerors are allowed to subjugate for a certain time.)
In the Hebraic English translation of Everett Fox it is translated as slaughter-site and likewise in the German translation by Buber / Rosenzweig as Schlachtstatt.
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 7:5:
Kupsabiny: “But tear down where they make their sacrifices and overturn their pillars of where they pray from/at. Overturn their idols of Asherah and burn those idols.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “You are to do like this — Tear down their altars, break to pieces the stones to which they do puja. Chopping down the pillars of the Asherah goddess, cause them to fall. Then burn their idols in the fire.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Instead, this is what you (plur.) will-do: You (plur.) break-down their altars, smash their remembrance stones, cut-down their posts/[lit. thing-like-a-pillar] that symbolize the goddess Ashera, and burn their gods.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “This is what you must do to those people: Tear down their altars/places for sacrificing animals, break apart the stone pillars that are dedicated to their male god Baal, cut down the poles that they use when they worship the goddess Asherah, and burn their wooden idols.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Following the prohibition to intermarry comes the command to destroy the idols and places of worship of the peoples of Canaan.
Break down their altars: altars, on which sacrifices were offered, were made of stone and dirt. Many modern cultures have similar elevated structures for sacrificing animals and offering gifts to a deity. Sometimes this is a stone or wood platform or table. Terms for such structures may be used here. However, in cultures where altars are unknown, we may say, for example, “place [or, platform] for sacrificing animals.”
Dash in pieces their pillars: these pillars were made of stone, erected near the shrines of Baal, the chief god of the Canaanites. Such pillars were symbols of this god. Good News Translation has “sacred stone pillars.” An alternative model may be “stone pillars dedicated to the male god Baal.”
Hew down their Asherim: these were wooden poles, dedicated to Asherah, the goddess of fertility and the partner or female counterpart of Baal. Good News Translation has “cut down their symbols of the goddess Asherah”; but Contemporary English Version is clearer, with “cut down the poles that they use in worshiping the goddess Asherah.” “Goddess” may also be rendered as “female god.”
Burn their graven images: these were wooden idols. For graven images see also 4.16.
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 .
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