sheep

“Sheep are known throughout most of the world, even though, as in Central Africa, they are a far cry from the fleecy wool-producing animals of colder climates. Where such animals are known, even by seemingly strange names, e.g. ‘cotton deer’ (Yucateco) or ‘woolly goat’ (Inupiaq), such names should be used. In some instances, one may wish to borrow a name and use a classifier, e.g. ‘an animal called sheep.’ In still other instances translators have used ‘animal which produces wool’, for though people are not acquainted with the animals they are familiar with wool.” (Source: Bratcher / Nida)

In Dëne Súline, it is usually translated as “an evil little caribou.” To avoid the negative connotation, a loan word from the neighboring South Slavey was used. (Source: NCEM, p. 70)

Note that the often-alleged Inuktitut translation of “sheep” with “seal” is an urban myth (source Nida 1947, p. 136).

See also lamb and sheep / lamb.

complete verse (Exodus 22:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 22:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But if a thief is caught breaking somebody’s house at night, and (he) is beaten to death, that man who killed does not have any blame/guilt.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If a thief is caught in the act of breaking into a house and is killed, the one who killed him is not guilty of bloodshed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If he stole at-night and is-caught in the act, and he gets-killed, the one-(who)-killed him is- not -accountable.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “‘If a man of stealing breaks into a house at night, and the house owner strikes him dead, the house owner doesn’t have any bad fault for striking him dead.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “If they find thief be present stealing thing at night, and they hit him he die, they not sin.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “If a thief is caught while he is breaking into someone else’s house at night, if the one who catches him kills the thief, he is not guilty of murdering him.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 22:2 - 22:3

As the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, this is verse 1 in the Hebrew and in some translations. (See the above introduction to this section.) Surprisingly, the word for If is the Hebrew ʾim rather than the usual ki that we would expect at the beginning of a different law. Since the situation here is not the same as that described in verse 1, it should still be translated as a different law. It may be that this verse was originally part of a longer casuistic law that has been lost from the text.

If a thief is found breaking in is literally “If in trespassing the thief is found.” Found means “caught” (Good News Translation) in this situation. Durham has “discovered,” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “seized.” Breaking in is a word that means to dig through something, so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “while tunneling,” explaining in a footnote that this means digging “under a wall for housebreaking.” This was a common way for thieves to enter a house, especially since many houses in Palestine were built with sun-dried bricks. However, translators may find it better to use an expression common in their own language. So Good News Translation has “breaking into a house.” Revised English Bible changes thief to “burglar” and then simply adds “is caught in the act.” Both Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version indicate that the breaking in is done at night.

And is struck so that he dies means that he is “beaten to death” (New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible). (The same word is used for “strike” in 21.18.) Good News Translation has simply: “and is killed,” but this does not necessarily suggest that he was struck. Translators should therefore make this explicit. Another way to translate the first part of this verse is “If you strike a burglar who breaks into your house at night and kill him.” There shall be no bloodguilt for him is literally “there is not for him bloods.” The English word bloodguilt means guilt resulting from bloodshed, so Good News Translation renders this sentence as “the one who killed him is not guilty of murder.” The text does not indicate who the killer is, but it may be assumed that it is the owner of the house, since the following clause implies that it was “at night” (Good News Translation).

Verse 3 is a new sentence in the Hebrew. It begins with ʾim as in verses 2 and 4 (see above). But if the sun has risen upon him means “if it happens after sunrise” (New Revised Standard Version) or “during the day” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). There shall be bloodguilt for him is just one word, “bloods,” meaning, as Good News Translation expresses it, “the one who killed him” is “guilty of murder.” New Jerusalem Bible interprets bloodguilt as “his blood may be avenged.” (See the comment at 21.14.)

An alternative translation model for verses 1-4 is:

• If a person steals a bull [or, cow] and slaughters it or sells it, he must replace it with five cows [or, cattle]; if he steals a sheep or a goat, and slaughters it or sells it, he must replace it with four sheep or goats. He must repay what he stole. If, however, he cannot replace the animal, his family must sell him as a slave to pay for what he has stolen. If a person steals an ox, donkey, or sheep, and people find it in his possession alive, he must pay the owner two animals for the one.
If anyone catches a thief breaking into a house at night and strikes him so that he dies, that person is not guilty of murder. But if he kills someone who breaks into his house during the day, he is guilty of murder.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .