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 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)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 7:14:
Kupsabiny: “Those people do not pray to me in truth when they cry out on their beds. They cut marks in their bodies while praying to idols but they refuse me.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “They do not pray to me from their inmost hearts, rather they lament on their beds. They all gather together for grain and new wine but they turn their faces away from me.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Their calling to me is not sincere. While they cry in their beds asking-help from the little-gods/false-gods of grain and wine, they wound their body. They walk-away from me.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “They do not cry out to me sincerely ; they only lie on their beds and wail. They gather together and ask me to give them grain and wine, but they turn away from me.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.
The Hebrew waw conjunction (literally “And” [King James Version]) may be omitted (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation).
They do not cry to me from the heart: Cry to me refers to prayer. From the heart involves one’s innermost being, with nothing hidden, so Good News Translation says “They have not prayed to me sincerely.” The Hebrew preposition for from can also be translated “with,” so another possible model is “They do not pray to me in full allegiance.” Mays contends that the heart represents the mind here, and that Israel showed its stupidity by engaging in pagan forms of worship. Good News Translation‘s interpretation of this line is commendable in the context of the “lies” of the previous verse.
But they wail upon their beds: The context shows that the verb wail is used in the sense of religious worship, and it contrasts with proper prayer of the first line. It is not clear which beds are in focus here. Given the context, it is most likely a type of couch used for pagan rituals (compare Isa 57.7). Upon their beds may therefore imply that they are engaging in pagan fertility rites, forms of religious prostitution, in order to encourage their crops to grow (see comments on 1.2). Good News Translation‘s “they throw themselves down and wail as the heathen do” shows that this was a heathen custom but misses the implied meaning of engaging in religious prostitution. Some think it is possible that a regular form of praying while on one’s bed at home is implied (see Psa 4.4; 149.5), but the context of the third line makes this highly unlikely.
For grain and wine they gash themselves: This line is a difficult one to handle. There are two valid interpretations:
1. Revised Standard Version understands it to continue with the subject of pagan worship by emending the Hebrew verb to read gash. Baal worshipers apparently gashed themselves to reinforce important petitions (see 1 Kgs 18.28). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “and they make gashes on themselves so that I will hear their prayers for grain and wine,” and Bible en français courant has “they gash their bodies in the hope of obtaining better crops and better grape harvests.” Good News Translation follows this interpretation quite clearly: “When they pray for grain and wine, they gash themselves like pagans.” Contemporary English Version is even more explicit: “and slashed themselves in the hope that Baal will bless their crops.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project favors this interpretation, but as a {C} decision, which means that there is some serious doubt.
2. Instead of gash, the Hebrew text has a verb meaning “dwell” or “sojourn.” More recent studies show that the northern Israelite use of this verb often implies dwelling with a woman and including the idea of religious prostitution. So here the prophet is talking about the Israelites committing prostitution in order to encourage the false gods to give them crops of grain and wine. A possible model that follows this interpretation is “for grain and wine they commit [religious] adultery.” This fits with the statement about beds in the previous line.
Grain crops were mostly wheat and barley, and wine came from their grape vines (see comments on 2.8).
They rebel against me repeats the idea expressed in 7.13. To worship another god or to worship Yahweh in a pagan fashion was rebellion. Good News Translation‘s “What rebels they are!” fails to indicate whom they are rebelling against, although this may be understood from the context.
Translation models for this verse are:
• They do not pray to me with full commitment,
but are howling as pagans on their couches.
They cut themselves to beg their gods for grain and wine,
and they turn against me.
• They do not call on me sincerely,
but they wail on their beds,
prostituting themselves for grain and wine,
thus turning against me.
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 .
They do not cry out to Me from their hearts: In Hebrew, cry out means to call for help in a time of distress. Another way to translate cry out to Me is “pray to me.” For example:
They do not pray to me (NET Bible)
from their hearts: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “in their heart.” For Hebrew speakers, the heart was the center of reason and emotion. To fail to cry out to God “in” or “from their heart” indicates that the people refused to sincerely request help from God.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
They don’t pray to me sincerely (God’s Word) -or-
They do not cry out to me with sincere hearts (New Living Translation (2004))
7:14b
but: This word introduces a contrast with the previous statement.
Here is another way to introduce this contrast:
Instead, they sit on their couches and wail (New Living Translation (2004))
Use a natural way in your language to introduce a contrast with the previous statement.
when they wail upon their beds: This part of the sentence describes what the people do instead of sincerely crying out to God in prayer. They lie on their beds and wail because of their hopeless despair or sorrow. These words may also indicate that they cry out in pain from slashing themselves as part of idol worship. See the note on “they slash themselves” in 7:14c.
beds: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as beds describes a place where people normally lie down and sleep. It can refer to a sleeping mat as well as a piece of furniture. Here in Hosea 7:14, beds may be associated with the ritual sexual activity that was part of idol worship.
Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:
They just lie on their beds and cry (New Century Version) -or-
They howl in distress on their beds (NET Bible)
7:14c
They slash themselves for grain and wine: There is a textual issue here:
(1) The LXX and some Hebrew manuscripts have “For grain and new wine they cut themselves.” For example:
They slash themselves for grain and new wine (NET Bible)
(2) The Masoretic Text has “For grain and new wine they assemble themselves.” For example:
They come together to ask for grain and new wine. (New Century Version)
It is recommended that you follow option (1). It makes good sense and fits the context well. It is also easy to explain how the Masoretic Text could be a variant form of the Hebrew word for “cut themselves.”
They slash themselves: The act of gashing or cutting oneself was a pagan Canaanite custom. The people hoped that Baal would respond to their self- mutilation by providing good crops. Some versions make this pagan connection explicit. For example:
and slashed themselves, in the hope that Baal will bless their crops. (Contemporary English Version)
for grain and new wine: This phrase gives the reason that the people cut themselves. They were motivated by a desire to obtain the food and drink they needed to live. For more information on this phrase, see the notes on “grain, new wine, and oil” in 2:8b.
7:14d
but turn away from Me: This verse part may function as a summary or a conclusion to the previous statement. It may also function as a transition to the next verse.
but: In Hebrew and in some English versions, this verse part does not begin with a conjunction. The connection with 7:14c is implied. For example:
They have turned against me. (God’s Word)
In other versions, a contrast is made explicit. For example:
14c They slash themselves for grain and new wine, 14dbut turn away from me. (NET Bible)
turn away from Me: There is a textual issue here:
(1) The Masoretic Text has “they turn away from me.” For example:
They turn away from Me (New American Standard Bible)
(2) The Syriac and Targum have “they rebel against me.” For example:
They are still rebelling against me (New Jerusalem Bible)
It is recommended that you follow option (1). The Masoretic Text makes good sense and fits the context. It carries both the ideas of turning away from God and turning against God.
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