untranslatable verses

The Swedish Bibel 2000 declared the 69 Old Testament verses referenced herein as “untranslatable.” Typically, other Bible translations translate those verses and mention in footnotes that the translation is uncertain or give alternate readings. Christer Åsberg, the Translation Secretary with the Swedish Bible Society at that time, explains why the Swedish Bible Society decided to not translate these verses at all (in The Bible Translator 2007, p. 1ff. ):

“In the new Swedish translation (SB) of 2000, [some verses are] not translated at all; [they are] indicated with three hyphens inside square brackets [- - -] [with a] reference to the appendix, where in the article ‘Text’ one will find a paragraph with roughly the following content:

In some cases the text is unintelligible and the variant readings differing to such an extent, that it is quite impossible to attain a reasonable certainty of what is meant, although some isolated word may occur, whose meaning it is possible to understand.

“If Bible translators find the Hebrew text untranslatable, what kind of text is it that they have produced in the translation into their own language? When a footnote says ‘The Hebrew is not understandable,’ what then is the printed text a translation of? And if the translators prefer to do without footnotes, are they then really released from the responsibility of informing their readers that the text they read is just mere guesswork?

“To leave a blank space in a Bible text seems to be an offensive act for many. (. . . ) To admit that a piece of Holy Scripture makes no sense at all may have been unimaginable in times past. In our enlightened era, an overprotective concern for the readers’ trust in the word of God is apparently a decisive factor when a translator tries to translate against all odds. The verdict ‘untranslatable’ is much more frequent in scholarly commentaries on different Bible books written by and for experts than in the translations or footnotes of the same books designed for common readers.

“Another reason (. . .) is a professional, and very human, reluctance to admit a failure. Also, many Bible translators lack translational experience of other literary genres and other classical texts where this kind of capitulation is a part of the daily run of things. They may have an innate or subconscious feeling that the Bible has unique qualities not only as a religious document but also as a linguistic and literary artifact. Completeness is felt to be proof of perfection. Some translators, and not so few of their clients, are unfamiliar with a scholarly approach to philological and exegetical matters. In some cases their background have made them immune to a kind of interpretative approximation common in older translations, confessional commentaries, and sermons. Therefore, their tolerance towards lexical, grammatical, and syntactical anomalies tends to be comparatively great.

“It is very hard to discern and to define the boundary between something that is extremely difficult and something that is quite impossible. I am convinced that all Bible translators in their heart of hearts will admit that there actually are some definitely untranslatable passages in the Bible, but are there a dozen of them or a score? Are there fifty or a hundred? Not even a group of recognized experts would probably pick out the same ten most obvious cases. (. . .)

“Conclusions:

  1. There are untranslatable passages in the Bible.
  2. How many they are is impossible to say—except for the translation team that decides which passages are untranslatable.
  3. An untranslatable passage cannot and should therefore not be translated.
  4. The lacuna should be marked in a consistent way.
  5. The translating team should stipulate their criteria for untranslatability as early as possible.
  6. It is an ethical imperative that the readers be comprehensively informed.
  7. Untranslatability has been and can be displayed in many different ways.
  8. An explanatory note should not confuse linguistic untranslatability with other kinds of textual or translational difficulties.
  9. The information given should make it clear that the translators’ recognition of untranslatability is a token of respect for the Bible, not a proof of depreciation.
  10. You shall not fear the void, but the fear of the void.”

With thanks to Mikael Winninge, Director of Translation, Swedish Bible Society

complete verse (Hosea 12:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 12:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “The people of Gilead are doing sins
    so they shall perish.
    (They) slaughtered bulls to make sacrifices from them in Gilgal,
    but that place of sacrifices shall be like
    stones that are piled up in a farm.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Is Gilead evil?
    Its people are worthless!
    Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?
    Their altars will be like stones gathered
    in a plowed field.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But still the people of Gilead (were) wicked and had no value at-all, and the people of Gilgal offer bulls to little-gods. Very surely their altars will-be-destroyed and they will-become like piles of stones which were-taken from the plowed ground.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The people of Gilead city are extremely wicked;
    they are worthless.
    The people sacrifice bulls in Gilgal city,
    but their altars will soon become like piles of stone at the edge of a plowed field.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Hosea 12:11

This verse speaks of the sins of Gilead and Gilgal. It seems possible that the two places are mentioned together because of their similar sounds. Translators should remember that, in Hebrew poetic lines, the second set of lines often makes the message more clear, more specific, or more intense. So what is said of Gilead in a general way becomes stronger and clearer when Gilgal is mentioned. This does not mean that Gilgal will suffer more than Gilead, but it is implied that similar things will happen to Gilead as well. Some modern translations try to make this clear with meaningful equivalents, while others simply choose more literal equivalents.

Gilead was an area on the east side of the Jordan River. During the time of Hosea it was known for its wickedness and bloodshed (see 6.8). Gilgal was a small town just west of the Jordan. It was the first place the Israelites entered during the conquest of the Promised Land. It later became a center of cultic and illegitimate worship (see 4.15; 9.15; see also Amos 4.4; 5.5).

If there is iniquity in Gilead: The Hebrew word for If can mean “Although” or even “Because.” Here it is better rendered “Because” or “Since.” The Hebrew word for iniquity can have several meanings. Three of these meanings fit this context:

(1) “Iniquity/injustice”: This sense fits the context. There is no doubt that iniquity existed in Gilead (see 6.8). Apart from that, iniquity can be seen as a generic explanation of the problem, while the parallel structure in the second half of the verse describes the explicit part, namely pagan sacrifices. Many versions opt for this sense (for example, Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New International Version).

(2) “Nothingness/deception”: New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh chooses this sense, saying “As for Gilead, it is worthless.” This translation forms a good parallel with the next line: “it shall come to nothing.”

(3) “False, idolatrous cult”: This sense is chosen by Good News Translation, which says “Yet idols are worshiped in Gilead.” NET Bible is similar with “Is there idolatry in Gilead?” Since the last lines of this verse talk about pagan worship in Gilgal, this option too suits the context well.

We advise translators to choose the option that suits the receptor culture best. The existence of other translations in the area where the receptor language is spoken may have an impact on the final decision.

They shall surely come to nought: The Hebrew word for nought refers to complete emptiness, lack of worth, no value, and this includes the idea of sinfulness, wrong, even death eventually. Good News Translation makes this last idea specific, saying “those … will die.” This Hebrew word has connotations of destruction. The pronoun they refers to the people of Israel, so they are the ones who will be destroyed.

If in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls is literally “in the Gilgal they sacrifice bulls.” Revised Standard Version adds the word if to introduce this line in the same way as the first line, since the messages against the two places are parallel.

They sacrifice bulls implies sacrificing these animals to other gods in Gilgal. Bijbel in Gewone Taal makes this explicit by saying “you offered sacrifices to the idols.” Revised English Bible has “sacrificed to bull-gods,” but the Hebrew text does not provide enough support for such a rendering. The Hebrew word for bulls is a general word for any mature bull or cow, but male cattle are in view here.

Their altars also shall be like stone heaps on the furrows of the field: The word also implies that this punishment will happen first in Gilead, even though it is not mentioned in the first two lines.

Altars were normally built of large stones made to fit together, and the top held the fire on which the sacrifice was burned (see comments on 8.11). This prophecy states that the stones would be torn apart and scattered in heaps on the fields where crops should be planted. The fields were plowed with furrows into which seeds would normally be planted for growing crops. With the altar stones filling those spaces, no crops could be planted. This then was to be part of the punishment for idol worship. So it is clear that the field refers to agricultural land. For the furrows of the field, see 10.4.

The text does not say who will tear the stone altars apart. We must assume that an enemy host will invade and do these things. However, this is not mentioned in the Hebrew text.

A translation model for this verse is:

• Since there is wickedness in Gilead,
its people will be wiped out.
They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal,
so their altars will also become stone heaps
scattered on the farmlands.

Quoted with permission from Dorn, Louis & van Steenbergen, Gerrit. A Handbook on Hosea. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .