“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).
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 34:19:
Kupsabiny: “Give me your first born sons, and firstborn cows and goats/sheep.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “All the first-born male children belong to me. And all the first-born males of your livestock and herd belong to me.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “‘All the first-born male belongs to me, including the first-born male of your animals.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Bariai: “‘I placed a taboo/mark of ownership on your (pl.) firstborn children and the firstborn children of your bulmakaos and sipsips and other animals, and so they all exist as my own. You must offer the firstborn children of your animals to me.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Opo: “And firstborn children all, they will be mine with firstborn males of livestock, children of cows and children of sheep/goats.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
English: “Your firstborn sons and the firstborn male animals of your cattle and sheep and goats belong to me.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.
Verses 19-20 are quite similar to 13.12-13. All that opens the womb is mine is discussed at 13.2. It is simply a technical expression for the firstborn. All your male cattle presents some textual difficulty. Literally the Hebrew says “and all your [singular] livestock she is remembered,” which does not make much sense. With a slight change of one letter, the text can be made to read “and all your livestock the male,” and this is what the ancient versions have. (See the Revised Standard Version footnote.) This is also suggested by the context and the similar verses in chapter 13. The same word for cattle is used in 9.3. (See the comment there.)
The firstlings of cow and sheep uses the technical term that means “what opens a mother’s womb.” It means the same as “first-born” (Good News Translation). The Hebrew word for cow often refers specifically to a full-grown male bovine, or ox, but here the broader meaning of large domesticated animal is intended. The word for sheep actually includes both sheep and goats. It is usually used in reference to the flock, which included both animals. New Jerusalem Bible correctly has “every first-born of flock or herd.”
The first part of the verse is probably a general statement that includes the sons of the Israelites as well as their animals. So Good News Translation condenses the whole verse, “Every first-born son and first-born male domestic animal belongs to me.” Contemporary English Version has “The first-born males of your families and your flocks and herds belong to me.”
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 .
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.