son vs. grandson

“Son of x, son of y” must be rendered as “son of x and grandson of y” in Tibetan or else it will sound like two different people.

Note: The same translation solution is chosen in many contemporary English Bibles that emphasize easy readability, such as the Contemporary English Version, Common English Bible, Good News Translation, God’s Word, or New Living Translation.

See also father / grandfather.

Jeremiah

The name that is transliterated as “Jeremiah” in English is translated in American Sign Language with the sign signifying “prophet (seeing into the future)” and “crying.” (Source: Phil King in Journal of Translation 16/2 2020, p. 33ff.)


“Jeremiah” in American Sign Language (source )

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with a sign that depicts to lament often.


“Jeremiah” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jeremiah .

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

complete verse (Jeremiah 39:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 39:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “I was pulled out from that place of the courtyard of the house of the king on the side of the guards and I was handed over to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, to be sent back to my home where my people were.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They had- Jeremias -taken out there from the courtyard of the guards and handed over to Gedalia the child of Ahikam and grandchild of Shafan, who was the one who brought him back to his house. Therefore Jeremias remained in Juda together with the rest of his fellowmen.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “sent some men to bring me out of the courtyard outside of the palace. They took me to Gedaliah who was the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. Then Gedaliah took me to my home, and I stayed in Judah among my own people who had been allowed to remain there.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 39:14

Sent: The text does not say who was sent. In some languages translators will say “sent people [or, soldiers].”

The court of the guard: See 32.2; 37.21.

Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan: After Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, he made Gedaliah the governor of Judah (see 40.5). For Ahikam see 26.24. Note that the text could be misunderstood by some readers who might think that Gedaliah was the son of Ahikan and Shaphan. Good News Translation is clear: he is the son of Ahikan and grandson of Shaphan.

Take him home: Good News Translation says “see that I got home safely”; however, New English Bible renders “take him out to the [governor’s] Residence,” assuming the administrative headquarters for the new administration. (But note that Revised English Bible has “take him out to his residence.”) It is possible, however, that this expression is a technical term for letting a prisoner go free, which is the basis for New Jerusalem Bible “for safe conduct home.” The question is: Did Gedaliah take Jeremiah to his (Gedaliah’s) home or to Jeremiah’s own home? The better solution is probably Jeremiah’s home, which Good News Translation expresses unambiguously.

So he dwelt among the people: Some versions retain “the people” (for example, Good News Translation), but New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and New International Version all have “his own people.”

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 .