enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).

In Cherokee it is either translated as “the one(s) who reprimand(s) you” or “the one(s) feared.” (Source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 47)

Translation commentary on Judith 15:4

Translators may begin a new paragraph here.

Uzziah sent men to Betomasthaim and Bebai and Choba and Kola: It is important to follow Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version in identifying the places named here as towns; they could easily be mistaken for people. None of them are known. Some can be identified with the towns mentioned in 4.4-6.

To all the frontiers of Israel may be rendered “everywhere in Israel” or “to all the other towns and villages in Israel.”

To tell what had taken place may be rendered “to tell everyone what was happening.”

To urge all to rush out upon their enemies to destroy them may be translated “to urge them to join in pursuing and destroying the enemy” (Good News Translation) or “to urge them to join in attacking and destroying the Assyrians.”

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.