25Joseph then gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. This was done for them.
The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “grain” (or: “corn”) is translated in Kui as “(unthreshed) rice.” Helen Evans (in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) explains: “Padddy [unthreshed rice] is the main crop of the country and rice the staple diet of the people, besides which [grain] is unknown and there is no word for it, and it seemed to us that paddy and rice in the mind of the Kui people stood for all that corn meant to the Jews.” “Paddy” is also the translation in Pa’o Karen (source: Gordon Luce in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 153f. ).
Other translations include: “wheat” (Teutila Cuicatec), “corn” (Lalana Chinantec), “things to eat” (Morelos Nahuatl), “grass corn” (wheat) (Chichimeca-Jonaz) (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), “millet” (Lambya) (source: project-specific notes in Paratext), “food” (Nyamwezi) (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)or ntimumma lujia / “seeds for food” (Lokạạ — “since Lokạạ does not have specific terms for maize and rice that can be described as grains”) (source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )
The term that is transliterated as “Joseph” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that relates to a) the coat he wore (see Gen 37:3), b) the holding of his clothes by Potiphar’s wife (see Gen 39:12), and c) the many times Joseph experienced grief. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Joseph” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign that signifies “dream,” referring to Jacob’s dream at Bethel (see Genesis 28:10 and the following verses). (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 42:25:
Kankanaey: “When that was so, Jose ordered his slaves that they fill the sacks of his siblings with wheat and that they insert the money that each one had paid in his sack. He also ordered that they give-(them) food-to-take-along that would suffice for the trail. When that was finished,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Newari: “Joseph gave the order to put grain to fill their sacks and to put their silver money in their sacks. He also gave the order to put in food and drink for them to eat on the way. After that was done,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Then Jose commanded to-fill with food the sacks of his siblings and return to/in their sacks their payment, and send-with them their needs for their journey. All that Jose commanded was-fulfilled.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Joseph told his servants to fill the men’s sacks with grain, but he also told them to put the money that each one had paid for the grain in the top of his sack. He also told them to give them food to eat along the way. After the servants did those things for Joseph’s older brothers,” (Source: Translation for Translators)
And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain: this must often be rendered, for example, “Joseph ordered his workers to fill the brothers’ bags with grain.”
Replace every man’s money in his sack: that is, “put the money that was to pay for the grain back in the sack….” The reason Revised Standard Version uses bag in the first sentence and sack in the second is because the Hebrew uses two words. However, there is no significant difference in meaning. Money translates the Hebrew “silver.” The reference is to a small packet or bag of silver that is weighed and exchanged for the grain. See the case of Abraham purchasing the cave of Machpelah in chapter 23.
Provisions refers to food carried on a journey. Many languages have special words that designate just this kind of food. If no special word is available, we may say “food” or “things to eat on the journey.”
This was done: that is, “Joseph’s orders were carried out” or “they [the workers] did so.”
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 .
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