The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “idol(s)” in English is translated in Central Subanen as ledawan or “images” (source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. ) and in Cherokee “imaginary gods” (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 16).
In German, typically the term Götze is used. Originally this was used as a term of endearment for Gott (“God” — see here ), later for “icon” and “image, likeness.” Luther started to use it in the 16th century in the meaning of “false god, idol.” Other terms that are used in German include Götzenbild(er) (“image[s] of idols”) or Bildnis (“image” — Protestant) / Kultbild (“cultish image” — Catholic) (used for instance in Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8). The latest revision of the Catholic Einheitsübersetzung (publ. 2016) also uses the neologism Nichtse (“nothings”) in 1 Chron. 16:26 and Psalm 96:5. (Source: Zetzsche)
The Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek terms that are often translated as “worship” (also, “kneel down” or “bow down”) are likewise translated in other languages in certain categories, including those based on physical activity, those which incorporate some element of “speaking” or “declaring,” and those which specify some type of mental activity.
Following is a list of (back-) translations (click or tap for details):
Obolo: itọtọbọ ebum: “express reverence and devotion” (source: Enene Enene)
Ngäbere: “cut oneself down before” (“This figure of speech comes from the picture of towering mahoganies in the forest which, under the woodman’s ax, quiver, waver, and then in solemn, thunderous crashing bury their lofty heads in the upstretched arms of the surrounding forest. This is the experience of every true worshiper who sees ‘the Lord, high and lifted up.’ Our own unworthiness brings us low. As the Valientes say, ‘we cut ourselves down before’ His presence. Our heads, which have been carried high in self-confidence, sink lower and lower in worship.)
Tzeltal: “end oneself before God.” (“Only by coming to the end of oneself can one truly worship. The animist worships his deities in the hope of receiving corresponding benefits, and some pagans in Christendom think that church attendance is a guarantee of success in this life and good luck in the future. But God has never set a price on worship except the price that we must pay, namely, ‘coming to the end of ourselves.'”) (Source of this and the one above: Nida 1952, p. 163)
Folopa: “die under God” (“an idiom that roughly back-translates “dying under God” which means lifting up his name and praising him and to acknowledge by everything one does and thanks that God is superior.”) (Source: Anderson / Moore, p. 202)
Chokwe: kuivayila — “rub something on” (“When anyone goes into the presence of a king or other superior, according to native law and custom the inferior gets down on the ground, takes a little earth in the fingers of his right hand, rubs it on his own body, and then claps his hands in homage and the greeting of friendship. It is a token of veneration, of homage, of extreme gratitude for some favor received. It is also a recognition of kingship, lordship, and a prostrating of oneself in its presence. Yet it simply is the applicative form of ‘to rub something on oneself’, this form of the verb giving the value of ‘because of.’ Thus in God’s presence as king and Lord we metaphorically rub dirt on ourselves, thus acknowledging Him for what He really is and what He has done for us.”) (Source: D. B. Long in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 87ff. )
In the German New Testament translation Fridolin Stier (1989) it is consistently translated as “bow (to someone) deeply” (tief verneigen)
In Luang it is translated with different shades of meaning:
For Mark 15:19 and Matt. 2:8 and 2:11: “uh’idma-rrama llia’ara” — “to kiss the fingernail and lick the heel”
For Acts 16:14: ra’uli-rawedi — “to praise-talk about”
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 2:20:
Kupsabiny: “People will throw the idols far away, those of silver and gold that they worshipped. Those idols shall belong to voles and bats.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “On that day people will throw to the mice and bats the idols of silver and gold idols they have made.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “On that day, they will-throw to the rats and to the bats the silver and golden little-gods/false-gods which they made in-order to-be-worshipped.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “their scarves and ankle bracelets and sashes, their perfumes and charms/little things that they wear thinking that those things will protect them from evil,” (Source: Translation for Translators)
In that day repeats an overriding concept in this chapter (“in the latter days” in verse 2, “in that day” in verse 11, and “a day” in verse 12). It is the day on which Yahweh will judge and punish human pride as well as the false trust people have in the images they themselves have made.
Men will cast forth their idols of silver and their idols of gold: Two keywords, men and idols, link this verse to verses 18-19, where the same terms are used in reverse order. This may be a chiasmus that brackets these verses and links them together. The verb cast forth means to throw away or abandon. The idols of silver and idols of gold are images made from (or covered by) the two precious metals mentioned in verse 7. Translators should use the same terms for these metals, but this verse focuses more on the people making the images rather than on the materials they used. Their idols of silver and their idols of gold may be rendered “images they made from silver and gold” or “images they made with very valuable materials/metals.”
Which they made for themselves to worship recalls verse 8. The people made these idols in order to worship them.
To the moles and to the bats is the indirect object of the verb cast forth in the opening line. In many languages it will be better to restructure this verse, so that this phrase clearly links with the verb cast forth. This is what many modern versions do; for example, for the whole verse New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “On that day, men shall fling away, To the flying foxes and the bats, The idols of silver and the idols of gold Which they made for worshiping.” (There is a footnote saying that the translation “flying foxes” is uncertain.) Revised English Bible does not restructure the verse, but it deals with the problem by repeating the verb “fling” before this final phrase. Good News Translation handles the problem in the same way by using the two verbs “throw away” and “abandon.”
Moles are small animals of the rodent family that live underground. This is the only reference to them in the Old Testament and their presence even here depends on a textual emendation. Bats are small winged animals that feed mainly on fruit. They prefer to fly and feed at night and sleep through the day. The Israelites considered both of these animals ceremonially unclean, so they did not eat them. If the receptor language has no words for moles and bats, or if the words exist but they do not have the right connotation, translators may use a general expression such as “small [unclean] animals that live in the dark.” Throwing the idols to these creatures means the idols will be thrown on the rubbish dump.
In Hebrew the words for moles and bats have the definite article attached to them. These are examples of the generic use of the article, that is, the article refers to classes of things. Here there are classes of small rodents. Whether or not a translator uses the definite article here will depend on the requirements of the receptor language.
Translation examples for this verse are:
• At that time people will abandon to the moles and bats
their precious and gold idols
that they made for worship.
• In that day everyone will throw away their silver and gold idols,
idols that they made for worship;
they will throw them to the moles and bats.
Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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