untranslatable verses

The Swedish Bibel 2000 declared the 69 Old Testament verses referenced herein as “untranslatable.” Typically, other Bible translations translate those verses and mention in footnotes that the translation is uncertain or give alternate readings. Christer Åsberg, the Translation Secretary with the Swedish Bible Society at that time, explains why the Swedish Bible Society decided to not translate these verses at all (in The Bible Translator 2007, p. 1ff. ):

“In the new Swedish translation (SB) of 2000, [some verses are] not translated at all; [they are] indicated with three hyphens inside square brackets [- - -] [with a] reference to the appendix, where in the article ‘Text’ one will find a paragraph with roughly the following content:

In some cases the text is unintelligible and the variant readings differing to such an extent, that it is quite impossible to attain a reasonable certainty of what is meant, although some isolated word may occur, whose meaning it is possible to understand.

“If Bible translators find the Hebrew text untranslatable, what kind of text is it that they have produced in the translation into their own language? When a footnote says ‘The Hebrew is not understandable,’ what then is the printed text a translation of? And if the translators prefer to do without footnotes, are they then really released from the responsibility of informing their readers that the text they read is just mere guesswork?

“To leave a blank space in a Bible text seems to be an offensive act for many. (. . . ) To admit that a piece of Holy Scripture makes no sense at all may have been unimaginable in times past. In our enlightened era, an overprotective concern for the readers’ trust in the word of God is apparently a decisive factor when a translator tries to translate against all odds. The verdict ‘untranslatable’ is much more frequent in scholarly commentaries on different Bible books written by and for experts than in the translations or footnotes of the same books designed for common readers.

“Another reason (. . .) is a professional, and very human, reluctance to admit a failure. Also, many Bible translators lack translational experience of other literary genres and other classical texts where this kind of capitulation is a part of the daily run of things. They may have an innate or subconscious feeling that the Bible has unique qualities not only as a religious document but also as a linguistic and literary artifact. Completeness is felt to be proof of perfection. Some translators, and not so few of their clients, are unfamiliar with a scholarly approach to philological and exegetical matters. In some cases their background have made them immune to a kind of interpretative approximation common in older translations, confessional commentaries, and sermons. Therefore, their tolerance towards lexical, grammatical, and syntactical anomalies tends to be comparatively great.

“It is very hard to discern and to define the boundary between something that is extremely difficult and something that is quite impossible. I am convinced that all Bible translators in their heart of hearts will admit that there actually are some definitely untranslatable passages in the Bible, but are there a dozen of them or a score? Are there fifty or a hundred? Not even a group of recognized experts would probably pick out the same ten most obvious cases. (. . .)

“Conclusions:

  1. There are untranslatable passages in the Bible.
  2. How many they are is impossible to say—except for the translation team that decides which passages are untranslatable.
  3. An untranslatable passage cannot and should therefore not be translated.
  4. The lacuna should be marked in a consistent way.
  5. The translating team should stipulate their criteria for untranslatability as early as possible.
  6. It is an ethical imperative that the readers be comprehensively informed.
  7. Untranslatability has been and can be displayed in many different ways.
  8. An explanatory note should not confuse linguistic untranslatability with other kinds of textual or translational difficulties.
  9. The information given should make it clear that the translators’ recognition of untranslatability is a token of respect for the Bible, not a proof of depreciation.
  10. You shall not fear the void, but the fear of the void.”

With thanks to Mikael Winninge, Director of Translation, Swedish Bible Society

by the skin of my teeth

The now commonly-used English idiom “by the skin of my teeth” (for something that almost didn’t happen) was first coined in 1611 in the King James Version/Authorized Version (spelled as with the skinne of my teeth) in Job 19:20. (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 269)

For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

extreme dryness

In Gbaya, the notion of extreme dryness is emphasized in the referenced verses with kpaa-kpaa, an ideophone that expresses complete or thorough dryness with brittleness because of dry weather or fire.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

survive / escape / save

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “survive,” “escape,” “save,” or similar in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) in these verses with pulumuka, describing someone whose life was in danger but who has freed himself or herself. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

complete verse (Job 19:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 19:20:

  • Kupsabiny: “My body is just bones that the skin is covering.
    I have been very close to die.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “As for me, I have become skin and bones.
    As for me, I am about to die.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “(It is) as-if I am now just a bone covered with skin, and as-if I am about to die now.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “My body is only skin and bones;
    I am barely alive.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Job 19:20

Verse 20 is a problem for interpreters and is the first in a series which makes the remainder of this chapter exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to be certain about. Although numerous changes have been suggested, scholars are unable to find much agreement on verse 20. The first line is too long and the second is obscure. The repetition of skin in both lines leads to further problems. In spite of all this, it seems evident, according to Rowley, that Job is saying that he has been reduced to a shadow of his former self and has barely survived.

My bones cleave to my skin and to my flesh: cleave means to “cling, adhere, stick to.” Lamentations 4.8c says “their skin has shriveled upon their bones,” and Psalm 102.5b “my bones cleave to my flesh.” Verse 20a seems to have brought both ideas into one line. Consequently many translations remove flesh from line a and get something similar to Good News Translation “My skin hangs loose on my bones.” Bible en français courant has “I have nothing more than skin on my bones,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “My skin sticks to my bones,” New International Version “I am nothing but skin and bones,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “Only skin and bones can be seen on me.” This line may also be expressed, for example, “My limbs are like sticks.”

And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth: the Septuagint, which translates line a “In my skin the flesh is rotten,” takes My bones in line a as part of line b and translates “My bones are held in my teeth,” and by the skin of is omitted. New Jerusalem Bible has adapted its translation to the Septuagint: “My flesh is rotting under my skin, my bones are sticking out like teeth.” This rendering does not give the idea of bare survival suggested by Good News Translation “I have barely escaped with my life.” Bible en français courant interprets the expression by the skin of my teeth to mean “I come through this disaster by having lost everything.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, which considers line b to be a “C” reading, recommends “I have escaped with the skin of my teeth” (that is, there is no soundness in me, or I have just bare life, with nothing more, safe). This agrees essentially with Good News Translation and others. The expression by the skin of my teeth has become proverbial in English, meaning to accomplish something, but just barely. This line may also be expressed, for example, “I have almost died, but not quite,” “Death has almost seized me,” “I have barely escaped death,” or “By only a tiny bit am I still alive.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .