joy

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The Greek, Latin, Ge’ez, and Hebrew that is translated with “joy” or “gladness” in English is translated with various strategies:

  • Baoulé: “a song in the stomach” (see also peace (inner peace))
  • Bambara: “the spirit is made sweet”
  • Kpelle: “sweet heart”
  • Tzeltal: “the good taste of one’s heart”
  • Uduk: “good to the stomach”
  • Mískito: “the liver is wide open” (“happily letting the pleasures flooding in upon it”) (source for this and above: Nida 1952)
  • Mairasi: “good liver” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Noongar: koort-kwabba-djil or “heart very good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “refreshed heart” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).

See also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling,” happiness / joy, and exceeding joy.

Translation commentary on Judith 12:14

Although Good News Translation begins a new paragraph at this point, translators may follow Revised Standard Version. It is still part of the conversation between Judith and Bagoas.

Who am I, to refuse my lord? Surely whatever pleases him I will do … a joy until the day of my death: As in 12.4, Judith’s reply means one thing to Bagoas, but quite another to her and to the attentive reader. Once again, the key is the phrase my lord. As Bagoas hears it, Judith accepts the invitation to Holofernes’ dinner and bed. But Judith’s meaning is that it will be her lifelong joy to serve God, her true and only Lord. She will do whatever God wishes. Unfortunately Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version completely miss this nuance, and leave the reader helpless to understand the real dynamics of this verse. In Good News Translation she is simply giving a deceitful reply to Bagoas, but not at the same time swearing loyalty to God.

An alternative translation model for this verse following Judith’s underlying meaning is as follows:

• Judith answered, “How could I refuse him? I will do at once what my Lord wants me to do. I will remember this with joy the rest of my life.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Judith. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.