virgin

The Hebrew and Greek that is mostly translated as “virgin” in English can be translated as “woman that is untouched” in Batak Toba or “a woman with a whole (i.e. unopened) body” in Uab Meto.

“Similar words for ‘girl,’unmarried young woman,’ suggesting virginity without explicitly stating it, are found in Marathi, Apache, or Kituba. Cultural features naturally influence connotations of possible renderings, for instance, the child marriage customs in some Tboli areas, where the boy and girl are made to sleep together at the initial marriage, but after that do not live together and may not see each other again for years. Hence, the closest attainable equivalent, ‘female adolescent,’ does not imply that a young girl is not living with her husband, and that she never had a child, but leaves uncertain whether she has ever slept with a male person or not. Accordingly, in Luke one has to depend on Luke 1:34 to make clear that Mary and Joseph had not had sexual intercourse. A different problem is encountered in Pampanga, where birhen (an adaptation of Spanish virgen — ‘virgin’), when standing alone, is a name of the ‘Virgin Mary.’ To exclude this meaning the version uses “marriageable birhen,” thus at the same time indicating that Mary was relatively young.” (Source: Reiling / Swellengrebel, see here)

In Navajo, the term that is used is “no husband yet” (Source: Wallis, p. 106) and in Gola the expression “trouser girl.” “In the distant past young women who were virgins wore trousers. Those who were not virgins wore dresses. That doesn’t hold true anymore, but the expression is still there in the language.” (Source: Don Slager)

The term in Djimini Senoufo is katogo jo — “village-dance-woman” (women who have been promised but who are still allowed to go to dances with unmarried women). (Source: Übersetzung heute 3/1995)

In Igbo translations, typically a newly-created, multi-word phrase is used that very explicitly states that there has not been any sexual relations and that translates as “a woman (or: maiden) who does not know a man.” This is in spite of the fact that there is a term (agb͕ọghọ) that means “young woman” and has the connotation of her not having had sexual relations (this is for instance used by the Standard Igbo Bible of the Bible Society of Nigeria for Isaiah 7:14). Incidentally, the euphemistic expression “know” (ma in Igbo) for “having sex” has become a well-known euphemism outside of Bible translation. (Source: Uchenna Oyali in Sociolinguistic Studies Vol. 17 No. 1-3 (2023): Special Issue: Gender and sexuality in African discourses )

In Chichewa, it is translated as namwali which is used to refer to a girl who has reached puberty stage and is ready to get married. Apart from the physical aspect, the word also has social implications in the sense that it is used to recognize the fact that the girl has become responsible enough to make informed decisions and take care of herself and others. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also virgins (Revelation 14:4) and complete verse (Matthew 1:23).

Isaac

The name that is transliterated as “Isaac” in English is signed in Spanish Sign Language and French Sign Language with a sign that is linked to his mother’s laughter when she hears that she will be pregnant with him (referring to Genesis 18:1218:15) and also is the meaning of the Hebrew “Isaac” (Yitschaq — “he laughs”):


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

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Isaac .

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Rebekah

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Rebekah” or “Rebecca” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign that signifies “bracelet,” referring to the gift that she receives in Genesis 24:22. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Rebekah” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

More information on Rebecca .

Jacob

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Jacob” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign that signifies “lentil,” referring to the soup he gave his brother in exchange for his birthright (see Genesis 25:34). Note that another Spanish Sign Language sign for Jacob also users the sign for Jewish. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Jacob” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is a sign that shows the touching of the hip, described in Genesis 32:25:


“Jacob” in German Sign Language (source: Taub und katholisch )

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the signs signifying “smooth arm” (referring to the story starting at Genesis 27:11). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Jacob” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Esau.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jacob .

complete verse (Genesis 27:46)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 27:46:

  • Newari: “Then Rebekah said to Isaac — ‘I feel disgusted because of the Hittite women who live here. If Jacob also marries a Hittite woman, it would be good if I would die.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Now, Rebeka said to Isaac, ‘I am so disgusted-with my life because of these wives of Esau who are Hithanon. If the wife of Jacob will-be a Hithanon women from-here (it is) better that I will- just -die.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Rebekah also said to Isaac, ‘These foreign women whom Esau has married, who are descendants of Heth, are making my life miserable. I would prefer to die than to see Jacob marry a woman from the descendants of Heth in this area!'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 27:46

I am weary of my life: weary translates a verb meaning “disgust,” “loath,” “abhor.” Speiser translates “I am disgusted with life,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “I am tired of life,” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “I am sick of living,” and Good News Translation “I am sick and tired.” We may also say, for example, “I can’t stand these … any longer.”

Because of the Hittite women: Hittite women is literally “daughters of Heth.” Rebekah’s disgust, as is evident from 26.35, is due not to Hittite women in general but to the wives Esau has married. Accordingly Good News Translation has translated “Esau’s foreign wives,” Bible en français courant “my Hittite daughters-in-law,” and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “these Hittites Esau has married.”

If Jacob marries one of … these: note that Good News Translation has supplied “also” in the “if” clause. Such as these means “like the women Esau has married” or “like the two who are here.”

One of the women of the land is literally “from the daughters of the land,” an expression that means “a local girl” or “a native woman.” The term for women should be one that is applicable to young women of marriageable age. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “one of these who live here in Canaan.”

The result clause is formulated as a rhetorical question, what good will my life be to me? which is literally “what is my life to me?” Translators may find this question needs to be answered, “No good at all,” or be expressed as a negative statement; for example, “my life won’t be worth a thing,” “my life will be worthless.” Bible en français courant translates “I will lose my last reason for living.” Note also Good News Translation.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .