priest

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)

Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:

“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”

In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), and in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”

For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:

​​Bau cha r (បូជា‌ចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term “mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ)” used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.

See also idolatrous priests.

Jerusalem

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:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

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)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

complete verse (Ezra 7:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezra 7:16:

  • Kupsabiny: “Go also with all the silver and gold in/from the region/province of Babylon which the people of Israel and the priests have offered for the House of their God in Jerusalem.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “You are also to take along all the gold and silver that you are about to collect in the province of Babylon as well as the gifts of the people and priests willingly offered to the temple of their God in Jerusalem. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You also take all the silver and gold which you will-receive from the province of Babilonia, as-well-as also the willing help of the people of Israel and of their priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “You should also take any silver and gold that the people in the entire Babylonia province give to you, and the money that the priests and other Israeli people have happily said that they would give to you to be offerings for building the temple of their God in Jerusalem.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezra 7:16

In addition to the offerings that were given by the king and his counselors from the royal treasury, Ezra is authorized to take all the silver and gold which you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia. This means that he is permitted to “acquire” or “collect” gifts from people living throughout Babylonia and that he is to take along all that he collects. For province see the comments on Ezra 2.1.

With the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, vowed willingly: Ezra is also authorized to take freewill offerings … vowed willingly for the Temple (see Ezra 1.4). The same root occurs twice in Aramaic, first as a verb “to offer freely” and then as a noun “those offering freely.” For freewill offerings, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and Revised English Bible have “voluntary offerings,” which is similar to Revised Standard Version. Bible en français courant expresses the apparent emphasis of the text with “gifts offered generously.” These offerings are to be received from the people of Israel and from the priests, that is, from both the laity and the clergy. Good News Translation makes explicit that the people being referred to are “the Israelite people” and the priests are “their priests,” and this is a helpful example.

The house of their God which is in Jerusalem: See the comments on verse 15 above. In Aramaic it is clear that the pronoun their refers to the people of Israel.

Some versions interpret this verse to refer to only one group of people, namely, the “fellow citizens” of Ezra as opposed to the king and his counselors referred to in the previous verse (so Bible en français courant). However, most commentators and versions interpret the verse as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have done and the translator should do likewise.

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 .