wine

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are translated as “wine” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “grape juice pressed long ago (= fermented)” or “strong water” (source: Daud Soesilo). In Guhu-Samane it is also translated as “strong water” (source: Ernest L. Richert in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 198ff. ), in Noongar as “liquor” (verbatim: “strong water”) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Hausa as ruwan inabi or “water of grapes” (with no indication whether it’s alcoholic or not — source: Mark A. Gaddis), in sar as kasə nduú or “grape drink” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin), or in Papantla Totonac and Coyutla Totonac as “a drink like Pulque” (for “Pulque,” see here ) (source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1971, p. 169ff. ).

In Swahili, Bible translations try to avoid local words for alcoholic drinks, because “drinking of any alcohol at all was one of the sins most denounced by early missionaries. Hence translators are uncomfortable by the occurrences of wine in the Bible. Some of the established churches which use wine prefer to see church wine as holy, and would not refer to it by the local names used for alcoholic drinks. Instead church wine is often referred to by terms borrowed from other languages, divai (from German, der Wein) or vini/mvinyo (from ltalian/Latin vino/vinum). Several translations done by Protestants have adapted the Swahili divai for ‘wine,’ while those done by Catholics use vini or mvinyo.” (Source: Rachel Konyoro in The Bible Translator 1985, p. 221ff. )

The Swahili divai was in turn borrowed by Sabaot and was turned into tifaayiik and is used as such in the Bible. Kupsabiny, on the other hand, borrowed mvinyo from Swahili and turned it into Finyonik. (Source: Iver Larsen)

In Nyamwezi, two terms are used. Malwa ga muzabibu is a kind of alcohol that people specifically use to get drunk (such as in Genesis 9:21) and ki’neneko is used for a wine made from grapes (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext).

In some Hindi translations (such as the Common Language version, publ. 2015 ), one term (dākharasa दाखरस — grape juice) is used when that particular drink is in the focus (such as in John 2) and another term (madirā मदिरा — “alcohol” or “liquor”) when drunkenness is in the focus (such as in Eph. 5:18).

In Mandarin Chinese, the generic term jiǔ (酒) or “alcohol(ic drink)” is typically used. Exceptions are Leviticus 10:9, Numbers 6:3, Deuteronomy 29:6, Judges 13:4 et al., 1 Samuel 1:15, and Luke 1:15 where a differentiation between weak and strong alcohol is needed. The Mandarin Chinese Union Version (2010) translates that as qīngjiǔ lièjiǔ (清酒烈酒) and dànjiǔ lièjiǔ (淡酒烈酒), both in the form of a Chinese proverb and meaning “light alcohol and strong drink.” (Source: Zetzsche)

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about wine in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also proceeds from the vine / anything that comes from the grapevine, wine (Japanese honorifics), filled with new wine, and wine (Gen 27:28).

complete verse (Hosea 4:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 4:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “Beer has finished/put an end to
    the wisdom of my people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “to prostitution, because of wine and new wine,
    my people have lost their understanding.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “in-order-to worship little-gods.
    ‘My people, the new and old wine takes-away your (plur.) good thinking.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “and they are devoting themselves to sleeping with prostitutes,
    and to drinking old wine and new wine,
    which results in their not being able to think clearly.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Hosea 4:11

Good News Translation inserts a section heading before this verse: “The LORD Condemns Pagan Worship.” For translators that follow Good News Translation‘s headings, they may need to indicate specifically that the Israelites are engaging in idolatry (so New Revised Standard Version with “The Idolatry of Israel”). The word “pagan” does not occur in the text, so it is better not to use it in the section heading. In any case, this heading may be moved to the beginning of 4.12 and be useful there.

Good News Translation begins this verse with the quote frame “The LORD says,” which is not in the Hebrew but is implied. Good News Translation makes it explicit in order to keep the speaker clearly identified. This quote frame may be particularly helpful if a section heading is inserted before this verse. Unfortunately, Good News Translation has destroyed the proverbial form of this verse in the Hebrew and has changed it into a specific statement about Israel.

Some translations retain “harlotry” as the first word of this verse (so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Septuagint) rather than as part of 4.10 (see comments there). This is possible since it does fit in well with wine as another factor that destroys a person’s ability to think clearly.

Wine and new wine take away the understanding: Wine renders a generic Hebrew word for this alcoholic drink made from grapes, and new wine translates the same Hebrew word rendered “wine” in 2.8 (see comments there). Certainly, wine is the fermented alcoholic product. Here the important factor is that alcoholic drink causes a problem, and it is not necessary to include both drinks if that would be awkward for the style of the translation. New wine carries with it the idea that it has started to ferment. Good News Translation says “wine, both old and new,” which may be a useful model.

Take away the understanding is literally “take away the heart.” In Hebrew thought the “heart” is the location of the intellect and the will, as well as the location of desires and emotions. In English the “mind” is the location of understanding. Good News Translation expresses this phrase as “robbing my people of their senses” in this context of alcoholic drinks. The next verse shows that the people behave in a senseless manner.

Some translations take the first Hebrew word of 4.12 (which is rendered “My people”) as part of this verse (so Good News Translation, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). The last half of this verse then literally says “take away the heart of my people.” There is no compelling linguistic reason to do this. The following section shows that from a discourse perspective it is not recommended to include “My people” in this verse.

A translation model for this verse is:

• Wine, old and new, removes the senses.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 4:11

Section 4:11b–19

The Sinful People

This section shows how much the people of Israel were committed to sexual sin and idolatry. They were stubborn and refused to return to the LORD. As a result, the LORD promised to discipline them so that in time they would be ashamed of their idolatry.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

The Lord Condemns Pagan Worship (Good News Translation)
-or-
Worship in Israel is idolatrous and debauched (New Jerusalem Bible)

The previous section focused primarily on the priests. This section focuses on the people as a group. A section heading may be appropriate here if you chose interpretation (1) in 4:10d–11b. In that case this section would begin with a new sentence. A section heading is not recommended if you chose interpretation (2) or (3), because the heading would interrupt a sentence.

Paragraph 4:11b–13c

4:11b–12a

(New Revised Standard Version) Wine and new wine: In this phrase, the two terms for wine function together as a unit. The repetition emphasizes the intoxicating effect of wine. The distinction in meaning between the two words for wine is not important here. So some versions have only “wine.” For example:

Wine has robbed my people of their understanding. (New Living Translation (2004))

For translation advice on the word wine, see the note on 2:8b.

(New Revised Standard Version) Wine: The Hebrew word that many English versions translate as Wine is the normal word for “wine.” It does not refer to wine that has been aged for a long time. In some languages, a phrase such as “old wine” may have a wrong connotation. If that is true in your language, you should simply use your term for “wine,” as the New Living Translation (2004) has done.

(New Revised Standard Version) take away the understanding. My people consult…: There are two ways to interpret the possible connection of the phrase My people to the word understanding.

(1) The phrase My people does not connect to the previous word understanding. The phrase My people serves as the subject of the verb consult that follows it. For example:

take away the understanding. My people consult… (New Revised Standard Version

(2) The phrase My people connects to the previous word understanding. They are parts of a larger phrase: “understanding of my people.” For example:

take away the understanding of my people. They consult… (NET Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). In Hebrew, the position of the phrase My people in relation to the verb consult highlights the fact that it is God’s own people that consult idols.

Here is another way to express this emphasis:

My own people consult a piece of wood!

(New Revised Standard Version) take away the understanding: The Hebrew idiom that the New Revised Standard Version translates as take away the understanding is literally “take away the heart.” The people of Israel considered the heart to be the center of thought and knowledge. To take away the heart meant to interfere with clear thinking. In this context, it meant that the people’s habit of drunkenness led to their lack of clear thinking regarding the LORD and his standards. See “lack of knowledge” under 4:6a.

In some languages, it may be necessary to make explicit whose understanding is being referred to. One way to do this is to refer to people in general. For example:

Wine takes away people’s ability to understand.
-or-
Wine keeps a person from thinking clearly.

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