3Send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon by the hand of the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to King Zedekiah of Judah.
The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 27:3:
Kupsabiny: “Then send a message to the king of Edom, and the one of Moab, Ammon, Tyre and the one of Sidon through those messengers that came to Jerusalem to come and see Zedekiah the king of Judah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Then proclaim this message to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon through their ambassadors who went to Jerusalem to meet with King Zedekia of Juda.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon, by telling those messages to the ambassadors from those countries who have come to Jerusalem to talk to King Zedekiah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
In place of Send word (Good News Translation “send a message”), the Hebrew Masoretic Text has “send them” (see the notes in Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). According to this form of the text, “them” would refer to the “yoke-bars” of verse 2. New American Bible and Revised English Bible have simply “Send,” though Revised English Bible does indicate in a footnote that the Hebrew adds “them.” Neither Moffatt (“send a message”) or New International Version (“send word”) note the textual problem. In Hebrew “them” is only one letter (a suffix on the verb Send), and it is quite possible that it was carried over from verse 2. The context suggests that Jeremiah made only one yoke, which he wore symbolically. On the other hand, the plural “them” may indicate that he made one for each of the five kings. Send word is most logical in this context, and we therefore recommend that translators follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation in this, including a footnote on the Hebrew.
The king of Edom … Moab … Ammon … Tyre … Sidon: For these places refer to 25.19-26. The sons of Ammon is merely a way of saying “the people of Ammon.” Whether to repeat king or group all the kings together as Good News Translation has (“kings of Edom, Moab…”) will depend on what is more natural in the translator’s language.
By the hand of means “through” or “by means of.”
Envoys or “ambassadors” (Good News Translation) are representatives sent by one king or nation to another. “Messengers” is therefore too general as a translation. “Spokesmen” or “representatives” would be better in English.
It may help readers if the sentence is restructured like this:
• The ambassadors of the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon are in Jerusalem to see Zedekiah, king of Judah. Tell them to give their kings this message [or, Tell them, “Here is a message for your kings”].
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.