happiness / joy

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.

Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also Seat of the Mind / Seat of Emotions, rejoiced greatly / celebrated, the Mossi translation of “righteous”, and joy.

gentiles / nations

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin that is often translated as “gentiles” (or “nations”) in English is often translated as a “local equivalent of ‘foreigners,'” such as “the people of other lands” (Guerrero Amuzgo), “people of other towns” (Tzeltal), “people of other languages” (San Miguel El Grande Mixtec), “strange peoples” (Navajo (Dinė)) (this and above, see Bratcher / Nida), “outsiders” (Ekari), “people of foreign lands” (Kannada), “non-Jews” (North Alaskan Inupiatun), “people being-in-darkness” (a figurative expression for people lacking cultural or religious insight) (Toraja-Sa’dan) (source for this and three above Reiling / Swellengrebel), “from different places all people” (Martu Wangka) (source: Carl Gross).

Tzeltal translates it as “people in all different towns,” Chicahuaxtla Triqui as “the people who live all over the world,” Highland Totonac as “all the outsider people,” Sayula Popoluca as “(people) in every land” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Chichimeca-Jonaz as “foreign people who are not Jews,” Sierra de Juárez Zapotec as “people of other nations” (source of this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), Highland Totonac as “outsider people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Uma as “people who are not the descendants of Israel” (source: Uma Back Translation), “other ethnic groups” (source: Newari Back Translation), and Yakan as “the other tribes” (source: Yakan Back Translation).

In Chichewa, it is translated with mitundu or “races.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also nations.

complete verse (Isaiah 60:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 60:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “When you see those things, you shall rejoice
    and your stomach/heart shall be very happy.
    The wealth of the countries on the other side of the ocean shall be brought to you,
    and the wealth of countries shall come to you.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then, seeing this, you will shine brilliantly
    and your heart will rejoice greatly.
    The wealth of the sea will be brought to your place,
    the wealth of the nations will come to your place.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If you (sing.) see this you (sing.) will-be-happy, and your (sing.) joy will- surely -overflow, for the wealth of the nations will-be-brought to you (sing.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 60:5

Then you shall see and be radiant: The Hebrew adverb rendered Then normally expresses time, but here it introduces a result. The return of Jerusalem’s people results in joy. You shall see and be radiant means the city will be delighted by what it sees. The Hebrew verb rendered be radiant means “to shine,” so it continues the imagery of shining in verses 1-3. Here it refers to being very joyful (compare Psa 34.5; Jer 31.12). Good News Translation has “be filled with joy” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says simply “glow,” but it better to say “glow with joy” for clarity.

Your heart shall thrill and rejoice describes further the people’s ecstatic response to what they see. The Hebrew verb rendered thrill often refers to intense fear (see the comments on 19.17, where it is translated “fear”). Here it means “to be in awe.” Your heart shall … rejoice is literally “your heart will … be wide” (see RSV footnote), which is an idiom for “happiness.” For this whole line de~Waard recommends the rendering in New International Version, which has “your heart will throb and swell with joy.”

Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you: The Hebrew particle ki rendered because is a logical connector here. It introduces the reason for the people’s joy. It is because of the wealth that will flow to Jerusalem from the surrounding nations (verses 5b-7). In this context the abundance of the sea refers to the goods that come by sea on ships from various ports around the Mediterranean Sea. Revised English Bible renders this phrase more accurately as “sea-borne riches.” The Hebrew word for abundance normally refers to a great amount, but it can also point to things of great value. The following parallel line suggests that abundance carries both senses here, so we can say “vast wealth.” The Hebrew verb rendered be turned seems unusual here. New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and New International Version render it “be brought,” New Jerusalem Bible has “flow,” and Revised English Bible says “be lavished.” For these versions the parallel verb come in the next line determines the sense of the verb turned. This Hebrew verb can also mean “turn over,” so this line may be saying that foreign trade goods will be handed over to Judah instead of going to others. It may be rendered “because ships from across the sea will bring many valuable things to you.”

The wealth of the nations shall come to you adds to the description of valuable goods flowing to Jerusalem from the surrounding nations. The Hebrew word for wealth literally means “strength,” but here it has the figurative sense of “riches” (see the comments on 10.14).

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Then you will see and be overjoyed,
your heart will tremble with joy,
because sea-borne riches will flow to you,
the wealth of foreign nations will pour into you.

• Then you will be overjoyed at what you see,
your heart will tremble with delight,
because precious things from overseas will be brought to you,
the wealth of nations become yours.

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 .