The Hebrew, Ge’ez, and Greek that is transliterated as “Baruch” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign depicting “Assistant to Jeremiah,” referring to Jeremiah 36:4 et al. For Jeremiah as the “crying prophet” in sign language translation, see here. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
The Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek that is translated in English as “scroll” is translated in Khoekhoe with xamiǂkhanisa or “rolled-up book” (source: project-specific notes in Paratext) and in Newari as “paper that has been rolled up” (source: Newari Back Translation).
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 36:18:
Kupsabiny: “Baruch replied, ‘Jeremiah told me that I should write (them) down in this thing.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Baruc replied, ‘Yes, Jeremias dictated all this to me, and I wrote this in ink in this rolled-up writing.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Baruch replied, ‘Yes, Jeremiah dictated them to me, and I wrote them with ink on this scroll.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
He dictated all these words to me is more literally “From his mouth he said to me all these words.” This is the basis for Good News Translation “Jeremiah dictated every word of it to me.”
Ink is a dark fluid used for writing, and normally would not rub off easily. If it is not known, for the last clause translators can say “I wrote his words on the scroll so they would not come off.”
Scroll is the same noun used in verse 13.
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 .
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