years (age)

In Aekyom, years are counted as “turtles” (ambum).

Norm Mundhenk tells this story:

“Recently I was checking some New Testament material in the Aekyom language of western Papua New Guinea. It seemed relatively clear until suddenly we came to a passage that started, ‘When Jesus had 12 turtles, …’ Surely I had misunderstood what they said.
“‘Did you say that Jesus had 12 turtles?’
“‘Let us explain! Around here there is a certain time every year when river turtles come up on the banks and lay their eggs. Because this is so regular, it can be used as a way of counting years. Someone’s age is said to be how many turtles that person has. So when we say that Jesus had 12 turtles, we mean that Jesus was 12 years old.’
“It was of course the familiar story of Jesus’ trip with his parents to Jerusalem. And certainly, as we all know, Jesus did indeed have 12 turtles at that time!”

In Tok Pisin, krismas (derived from “christmas”) is taken as the fixed annual marker, so Jesus had 12 “christmases” (Jisas i gat 12-pela krismas pinis) or Abram (in Gen. 12:4) had 75 (Abram i gat 75 krismas) (source: Norm Mundhenk). In Noongar it is biroka kadak or “summers had” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also advanced in years.

Joseph

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)


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

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Joseph .

complete verse (Genesis 50:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 50:22:

  • Kankanaey: “Jose continued to live in Egipto, along with the family of his father, until he yeared one-hundred and ten.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Joseph stayed with his brothers in Egypt. Joseph lived 110 years.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Jose stayed in Egipto with the entire household of his father. He lived 110 years,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Joseph lived with his father’s family in Egypt until he was 110 years old.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 50:22

So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s house: there is no special reason to translate the Hebrew connective as a marker of consequence here. There is no longer any reference to Joseph as a ruler of Egypt. It is not clear from the text whether Joseph lived (physically) with Jacob’s other offspring or whether he remained in the capital city. Good News Translation “with his father’s family” suggests he moved to Goshen. That they all remained in Egypt is clear from the book of Exodus. We may translate, for example, “Joseph and his father’s family went on living in Egypt.”

A hundred and ten years: scholars point out that in ancient Egyptian writings this was considered the ideal age for a man to live.

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 .