wolf

The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that is translated in English as “wolf” is translated in Muna as da’u ngkahoku: “forest dog,” because there is no immediate lexical equivalent. (Source: René van den Berg)

In Asháninka, it is translated as “ferocious animal,” in Waffa and Kui as “wild dog,” and in Navajo as “Coyote” (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125), and in Odia as “tiger” (source for this and for Kui: Helen Evans in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. )

In Lingala it is translated as “leopard.” Sigurd F. Westberg (in The Bible Translator 1956, p. 117ff. ) explains: “The wolf, for example, does not exist here, but its relative the jackal does and we have a name for it. But the jackal does not prey on domestic animals as the wolf did in Palestine, nor is he as fierce. The equivalent from these points of view is the leopard. Hence in Genesis 49 Benjamin is likened to a ravenous leopard, and the basic meaning is approached more closely than if we had been governed by scientific classification.”

Mungaka also uses “leopard” (see also bear (animal)) (source: Nama 1990). Likewise in Klao and Dan (source: Don Slager).

In Elhomwe “fierce animal” is used. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Michel Kenmogne comments on this and comparable translations (in Noss 2007, p. 378 ff.): “Some exegetical solutions adopted by missionary translations may have been acceptable during that time frame, but weighed against today’s translation theory and procedures, they appear quite outdated and even questionable. For example, Atangana Nama approvingly mentions the translation into Mungaka of terms like ‘deer’ as ‘leopard’, ‘camel’ as ‘elephant’, and ‘wheat’ as ‘maize,’ where the target language has no direct equivalent to the source text. These pre-Nida translation options, now known as adaptations, would be declared unacceptable in modern practice, since they misrepresent the historico-zoological and agricultural realities in the Bible. Nowadays it is considered better to give a generalized term, like ‘grain,’ and where necessary specify ‘a grain called wheat,’ than to give an incorrect equivalence. Unknown animals such as bears, can be called ‘fierce animals,’ especially if the reference is a non-historical context.”

See also Translation commentary on Luke 10:3.

complete verse (Genesis 49:27)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 49:27:

  • Newari: “Benjamin is a dangerous fox. In the morning he will eat the victims [he] has brought, and in the evening [he] will distribute the plunder [he] has brought.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘You (sing.) Benjamin, you (are) like a fierce dog that when day-time eats its victims, and when night-time divides-up the leftovers/[what is left].'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Benjamin, your descendants will be like vicious/fierce wolves: In the morning they will kill their enemies like a wolf devours its prey/the animals that it has killed, and in the evening they will divide among their warriors the spoils that they seized from their enemies.'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 49:27

The final word is given to Rachel’s younger son. According to 1 Chr 8.40; 12.2, the tribe of Benjamin was small in numbers but mighty in battle.

Benjamin is a ravenous wolf: Benjamin is praised for his skill and stealth and is compared to the wolf as a vicious hunter. Ravenous translates a verb meaning to tear the flesh. The sense is “fierce,” “ferocious,” or “vicious.” The wolf is a dog-like animal of prey. See Fauna and Flora of the Bible, pages 85-86|fig:ffb_Wolf.htm. If the wolf is unknown, something like “wild dog” may be suitable.

In the morning devouring the prey: here Benjamin is pictured as engaged in killing his enemies. He is always busy with war and taking plunder or booty from his enemies.

And at even dividing the spoil: victorious in battle he kills enemies and divides the booty or the enemy’s property among his warriors. Some translations attempt to keep the image of the fierce wolf. Here is the way Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translates:

Benjamin is a fierce wolf
who eats its victims in the morning
and in the evening divides what remains.

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 .