The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezra 5:15:
Kupsabiny: “(He) said to (him) that, ‘Take these things and place (them) in the House of God in Jerusalem, and rebuild the House of God at where it was.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Then he said to him, ‘Take these utensils along and make them all together in the temple of Jerusalem. Then rebuild God’s temple in [its] former location.’” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The king said to Sheshbazar to build again the temple of God in Jerusalem where it had-stood in-the-past, and place there these articles.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “‘’The king instructed him to take the cups back to Jerusalem, to the place from which they had previously been taken. He also decreed that they should rebuild the temple at the place where it had been before. So Cyrus appointed Sheshbazzar to be the governor in Judah. He also sent all those things made of gold and silver, for Sheshbazzar to put in the new temple.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
In this verse a third level of quotation is introduced. The writer of the book of Ezra is quoting the report of the Persian officials. In their report they quote the Jews, and in their answer to the officials they quote King Cyrus’s instructions to Sheshbazzar. This third level of quotation is marked by double quotation marks in Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation avoids the problem of quotation by changing the direct quotation of the king into a non-quotation. The original text, of course, gives emphasis to the king’s words by quoting them directly. Translators must use the most effective means in their own languages for distinguishing and for communicating these different levels of quotation.
Take … go … put …: The Aramaic direct quotation is a very striking command through the use of these three consecutive imperative verbs. King Cyrus is quoted as literally saying to Sheshbazzar, “These vessels take, go, place them in the Temple in Jerusalem.” Translators should seek an equally dramatic verbal construction in the receptor language to communicate the king’s order. In some languages this will be a serial verb construction or a special sequence of verbs that may mark the first verb grammatically as a command with the other two verbs following in unmarked form.
The instruction to put them [the vessels] in the temple appears to have been given before the Temple had been rebuilt. It is to be understood, however, that they are to be placed in the Temple when it has been rebuilt as Parole de Vie makes explicit.
And let the house of God be rebuilt: And can be understood as “that is.” If the conjunction is understood this way, the house of God that is to be rebuilt is in apposition to the temple. However, most versions understand the commands regarding the Temple utensils and the rebuilding of the Temple itself to be two different events that do not have a chronological relationship. Again, it is not specified who is to do the rebuilding, but because of what follows in the next verse, Good News Translation interprets the commands to be addressed to Sheshbazzar. In translation a third person passive imperative form may be used (let … be built) or the pattern of Good News Translation may be followed.
On its site: The Temple was to be rebuilt on its “place” or “location,” that is, on the original foundation of Solomon’s Temple, which had been destroyed (see Ezra 2.68).
The third level of quotation ends at the end of this verse as is shown by the closing double quotation mark in Revised Standard Version.
Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Ezra. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
He said to him: -or-
⌊King Cyrus⌋ told him, -or-
The king ordered ⌊Sheshbazzar⌋
5:15b ‘Take these articles, put them in the temple in Jerusalem,
‘Take these objects/items back ⌊to the province of Judah⌋ and place them in the temple in Jerusalem. -or-
‘⌊I am giving you (sing.)⌋ these vessels/utensils. Take them, go ⌊to Judah⌋, and return them to the house of God in Jerusalem. -or-
to take the sacred objects and go to Jerusalem in order to put them in the house of God there.
5:15c and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site.’
And let/may the temple be built at its original location.’ -or-
You (sing.) and your people must build the house of God again on the same place ⌊as it was built before⌋.’ -or-
He also told him to cause the house of God to be rebuilt on the same site as it was/stood previously.
5:15b-c (reordered)
‘Take these temple things, go to Jerusalem, and rebuild the temple there on its original site. Then put the temple things in the temple ⌊where they belong⌋ once/after the temple is built.’
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