bear child / give birth

The Hebrew, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “bear (a child)” or “give birth to” is translated in Mairasi as “go to the forest,” reflecting the traditional place of childbirth for Mairasi women. (Source: Enggavoter 2004)

In Spanish it is translated as dar a luz, literally “to give to light.” Likewise, in Portuguese (dar à luz) and Italian (dare alla luce). (Source: Mark Terwilliger)

See also in childbirth / travail and birth.

happiness / joy

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.

Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also Seat of the Mind / Seat of Emotions, rejoiced greatly / celebrated, the Mossi translation of “righteous”, and joy.

complete verse (Galatians 4:27)

Following are a number of back-translations of Galatians 4:27:

  • Uma: “This is like the words of the Holy Book that say: "You (sing.) are glad [emp], barren woman, who has not ever given-birth! Be glad and hoot ("halelo’" [from excitement or joy], you who have not one time suffered birthing a child. Because even though you (sing.) are barren, the number of your (sing.) descendants will be more than those of the woman who had-children to start with." We, relatives, are the ones who have become the children of God, according to God’s promise. We are like Ishak, the child of Abraham who was born according to God’s promise.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “It is written hep in the holy-book saying, ‘Be glad woman, even if you have not given birth. Shout with your joy even though you have not felt the pain (‘of childbirth’ is understood). Because the descendants of the woman left by her husband will be very many more than the descendants of the woman who has her husband.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There’s a written word of God which says, ‘As for you, woman who does not give birth, rejoice. Even though you never had labor pains, shout with joy because even though your husband has abandoned you, He will return to you and you have more descendants than the woman who has a husband.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because there is that which God caused-to-be-written which says, ‘You (sing.) who are barren who have never undergone-hardship to bear-children, be happy. Raise moreover your (sing.) voice (lit. make-strong your (sing.) speech) to make-known your (sing.) happiness. Because you (sing.) who have been left by your (sing.) husband, you (sing.) will have more children in-the-future than the woman whose husband is staying-with-her.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “This is like that which is written in the writing which says, ‘Be happy, you woman who does not give birth. You who have not experienced childbirth even once, shout out now your happiness. Because even though you have been divorced by your husband, your children will be even more numerous than hers who has not been divorced by her husband.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “It is written in the Holy Book, ‘Be happy you barren one, you have never given birth. Shout because you are happy even though you have not experienced giving birth. Because the woman who is barren and has been left by her husband, will have more children than the woman who lives with her husband.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Galatians 4:27

Paul further supports his concept of two Jerusalems with a quotation from the Old Testament, specifically Isaiah 54.1 quoted from the Septuagint. The quotation has some slight variations from the Hebrew text, but the translator should translate the quotation as Paul has it and not the way it may appear in the Old Testament.

This Old Testament passage of scripture reflects the time that the Jews were in exile in Babylon, away from their homeland. In this passage Jerusalem is viewed in two ways: (1) Jerusalem without its inhabitants, and therefore desolate, is represented as a childless woman (literally “barren one,” that is, incapable of bearing children), while (2) Jerusalem before the exile is represented as a woman whose husband never left her. The “barren” or childless woman is exhorted to be happy and to shout and cry with joy (literally “break forth and shout,” which calls for glad and loud exclamations). The first two lines of the prophecy are parallel to each other, and therefore the “barren” woman is the same as the one who never felt the pains of childbirth. The idea of having more children refers to the hoped for and expected return of the exiles from captivity.

In a number of languages it is necessary to identify who is being spoken to before a command can be given. Therefore, it may be necessary to alter the order in the first two lines of the scripture quotation so as to read “You woman, who has never had children, be happy! You who never had the pain of childbirth, shout and cry for joy!” In some languages, however, this kind of translation might suggest that two different women are being addressed. Since the two parallel lines obviously refer to the same person and the same experience, it may be more appropriate in some languages to translate “You women who have never had children and have never felt the pain of giving birth to children, be happy, shout and exclaim with joy!”

In citing this passage from Isaiah, it is quite possible that Paul is referring to Sarah when he speaks of the barren woman and to Hagar when he speaks of the woman whose husband never left her. It is more likely, however, that the barren woman refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, and the woman with a husband to the present city of Jerusalem. The idea of having more children is perhaps best interpreted to refer not simply to the entrance of both Jews and Gentiles into the fellowship of the church, but primarily in terms of the more desired gifts of freedom and of becoming children of God. The woman who was deserted may be rendered as “the woman whose husband had abandoned her.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Galatians 4:27

4:27

Verse 4:27 is a quote from Isaiah 54:1. In Isaiah, these words refer to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is commanded to rejoice because God would bring back from captivity the people of this “barren” city. Paul connected Sarah to this verse. She had also been barren.

Paul applied this quotation to the heavenly Jerusalem. The heavenly Jerusalem is like the rejoicing woman. It is free, and those who belong to it are free. Paul wanted the Galatians to recognize that they also belong to the heavenly Jerusalem and are free. They too should rejoice and be glad.

4:27a

For: Verse 4:27 supports Paul’s point in 4:26 that people who believe are free and belong to the Jerusalem in heaven. The Greek introduces this supporting statement with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For.

Another way to translate this conjunction is:

because

Some English versions do not translate this word. In some languages, it may not be necessary to translate this word either.

it is written: This clause introduces the quotation from Isaiah.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

It is written in the Scriptures (New Century Version)
-or-
the scripture says (Good News Translation)
-or-
as God’s word says
-or-
Isaiah wrote

4:27b–c

This quote from Isaiah contains a form of poetry called parallelism. In this parallelism, the first part of 4:27b is similar in meaning to the first part of 4:27c. And the second part of 4:27b is similar in meaning to the second part of 4:27c.

27b
Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children ;

27c
break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed ;

In this parallelism, Isaiah described Jerusalem in two ways:

(a) O barren woman, who bears no children

(b) you who have never travailed

If a parallel structure in your language wrongly implies that these two clauses refer to two towns or two women, you may need to combine the parallel parts in these lines. For example:

b-c You who have never given birth, rejoice!

4:27b

Rejoice: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Rejoice means “be glad/happy.” For example:

Be happy (Good News Translation)
-or-
be glad (Contemporary English Version)

O barren woman, who bears no children: The phrases O barren woman and who bears no children are two ways of describing a woman who cannot have children. It is common in Hebrew poetry to say the same thing in two ways.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

childless woman, you who have never given birth (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
You childless woman having a closed womb
-or-
woman who has not given birth, woman who has not known pregnancy

In some languages, it is too repetitive or poor style to repeat the same idea. If that is the case in your language, you could combine the two expressions into one expression. For example:

you childless woman (Good News Translation)

4:27c

break forth and cry aloud: The commands break forth and cry aloud both mean “shout.” (As in 4:27b, it is common in Hebrew poetry to say the same thing in two ways.) It is implied that the shouting is for joy. You may need to make this explicit. For example:

raise your voice and shout for joy
-or-
make your voice strong and declare your happiness
-or-
break into a shout of joy (Revised English Bible)
-or-
raise your voice to make known your joy

Here the word cry does not mean “weep.”

As in 4:27b, if it would be considered too repetitive or poor style in your language to translate both expressions, you could combine the two expressions into one. For example:

shout with/for joy

you who have never travailed: The word travailed refers to the pain that a woman has when she gives birth. This clause is another way to refer to a childless woman. If you have an idiom to say this in your language, you can use it.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

you who never felt the pains of childbirth (Good News Translation)
-or-
you who have never suffered birth pains

4:27d

because: Verse 4:27d is the basis for the commands to rejoice in 4:27b–c. The Greek introduces this basis with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as because. Another way to translate this word is:

for (English Standard Version)

more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as desolate woman means “deserted woman” or “forsaken woman.” It refers to a woman whose husband has left her. In Isaiah, the desolate woman refers to Jerusalem, which God abandoned. Isaiah prophesied that God would bring back the exiles. The new Jerusalem would be bigger than the old one, the one who had a husband.

Paul applied this verse to the heavenly Jerusalem. The heavenly Jerusalem will have more people than the earthly Jerusalem.

Some other ways to translate these clauses are:

the deserted woman will have many more children than the woman who has a husband
-or-
many are the children of the forsaken woman. They are more than those of the woman who has a husband

are: In Greek, there is no verb in 4:27d. So English versions add a verb. Some use the future “will be” or “will have.” Others use the present are. For example:

the woman who was deserted will have more children (Good News Translation)
-or-
more are the children of the desolate woman (New International Version)

In this verse from Isaiah, the idea is that the woman had many children after her time of being desolate. So, in many languages, the future tense will be better.

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