brother (older brother)

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “brother” in English is translated in Kwere as sekulu, in Elhomwe as mbalaawo´, and in Mandarin Chinese as gēgē (哥哥), both “older brother.”

Note that Kwere also uses lumbu — “older sibling” in some cases. (Source for Kwere and Elhomwe: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext; Chinese: Jost Zetzsche)

See also older brother (Japanese honorifics).

Esau

The name that is transliterated as “Jacob” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language and American Sign Language with the signs signifying “hairy forearm” (referring to the story starting at Genesis 27:11). (Source: Tarja Sandholm, Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Esau” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

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 Jacob and hairy (like Esau).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Esau .

complete verse (Genesis 32:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 32:11:

  • Kankanaey: “Continue then that help of yours (sing.) so that you (sing.) will protect us (excl.) from Esau my older-sibling, because here he is coming and I am afraid lest he kill us (excl.) all, including the mothers-and-children (lit. mother-units).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Now deliver me from my elder brother Esau. I am afraid that he will come and attack not only me, but also my wives and children.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I am- asking- you (sing.) -a-favor that you will-rescue me from my sibling/(brother) Esau. I am-afraid maybe he will-come here and will-kill us (excl.) all including the mothers and their children.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So now I pray that you will rescue me from my older* brother Esau, because I am afraid that he and his men will come and attack and kill me and the children and their mothers.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Japanese benefactives (sukuidashite)

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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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, sukuidashite (救い出して) or “save/rescue” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Genesis 32:11

Deliver me, I pray thee: that is, “Save,” “Rescue me.” I pray translates the Hebrew particle of entreaty, which has the sense of “please,” “I beg you,” “I ask you.”

From the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: to be delivered from someone’s hand is to be rescued from that person’s power or control. The repetition of this expression is to give rhetorical emphasis to it. It is most often sufficient to say it once or to represent the emphasis through a different stylistic device. In some languages this may be done by saying “from the hands of my brother Esau.” Another way of rendering the first part of the verse is “Please block [stop] my brother Esau, and save me.”

For I fear him gives the general reason why Jacob asks to be saved.

Lest he come and slay us all, the mothers with the children is literally “Lest he come smite me, mother to children.” Jacob is the principal target of Esau, but the proverbial expression (also used in Hos 10.14) is added to refer to what Driver calls “a merciless and cruel slaughter.” See Good News Translation. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “I am afraid he will come to attack me and will kill the women and children.” This is a good model for 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 .