flute

The musical instrument that is most often translated as “flute” or “pipe” in English is more or less universally used, so it’s typically translated directly with the applicable term.

Since its cultural significance is sometimes different it might be translated with a different instruments is some cases (see also below). When in Matthew 11:17 and Luke 7:32 the flute is mentioned as an instrument played at a wedding, the Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999) translates it as “we played the wedding drum for you” (source: Wendland 1987, p. 74), the Yakan and Kankanaey translations use “gongs” (source: Yakan and Kankanaey Back Translations), in Western Bukidnon Manobo “drumming” is used (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation), and in Tagbanwa “stringed-instruments” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).

Or in Jeremiah 48:36 where the flute is used for mourning, Bassa uses “funeral drum” (source: Newman / Stine) or Hiligaynon, while using “flute,” makes the meaning explicit: “like a lonely music of a flute for the dead” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation).

In the UBS Helps for Translators‘ Human-made Things in the Bible (original title: The Works of Their Hands: Man-made Things in the Bible) it says the following:

Description: The flute was a wind instrument consisting of a tube with a series of finger holes used to alter the tone. Some flutes were made of reed and could take several forms: the tube could be a cylinder or it could be more in the shape of a cone. There were instruments made of a single tube, while others had two tubes side by side. Often ancient double flutes or double pipes were arranged in a V-shape, with two separate reeds. One of these pipes had several holes while the other had only one hole and acted as a kind of drone, providing an unchanging tone to accompany the varying tones coming from the first pipe. Some pipes or flutes were made of other materials, such as wood, ivory, bone, or metal.

Usage: Sound was produced with the flute by blowing across an opening leading into a hole running inside the length of the instrument; in some cases the opening hole was in the end of the instrument while in others this hole was in the side of the instrument toward one end. With the reed pipe, on the other hand, a column of air was set in motion by blowing over a reed device, causing it to vibrate.

Translation: If there is no wind instrument available to translate “flute,” a different kind of wind instrument may be used.

The Hebrew word ‘ugav is usually understood to refer to a wind instrument. It is possible, however, that it is a generic term for “instrument” or even refers to a particular stringed instrument. In Job 21:12 and Job 30:31 it is identified as an instrument that expressed joy and contentment.

Psalms 5:1: The Hebrew word nchiloth appears only here in the Old Testament, and its meaning is uncertain. It may mean “wind instruments” in general or “flutes” in particular. Extra-biblical evidence indicates that it may have been an instrument played for funeral laments.

Matthew 9:23: Here NRSVue has “flute players”: According to Jewish tradition, even the poorest people were expected to have two flute players and a wailing woman for a funeral. In order to clarify the role of the flute players Good News Translation adds “for the funeral.” This information was immediately evident to a Jewish reader who was familiar with the funeral customs, but it will not be clear to other readers. Many cultures are familiar with the flute or other instruments that are played by blowing through a wooden tube. If no such instrument exists, then translators can say “those who played musical instruments for a funeral” or, as in Good News Translation, “musicians for the funeral.” See also flute players.

Men playing flutes (source: Louise Bass (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1994)

Quoted with permission.

hand drum / frame drum

The musical instrument that is most often translated as “tambourine,” “timbrel,” or “drum” in English is translated in the following ways:

In the UBS Helps for Translators‘ Human-made Things in the Bible (original title: The Works of Their Hands: Man-made Things in the Bible) it says the following:

Description: The drum consisted of a membrane, usually of animal skin, which was stretched over a shallow circular, triangular, or square frame.

Usage: The drum was struck sharply with one or two hands, depending on where it was situated. It could be held in the left hand, under the left arm, or against the chest and struck with the right hand, or it could be held on the knees or the ground and struck with one or two hands. The fingers of the left hand could be used to tighten or loosen the tension on the membrane as it was struck with the palm of the right hand.

Translation: The use of the Hebrew word tof is usually associated with singing, processions, and festivals. Archaeological evidence indicates that drums with metal circlets on the frame (“tambourines” or “timbrels”) were not known in biblical times. As a general rule, the best translation for this word will be “hand drum” or simply “drum.”

Lyre (source: Knowles, revised by Bass (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1994)

Quoted with permission.

Translation commentary on Job 21:11 - 21:12

They send forth their little ones like a flock: each pair of lines in verses 11 and 12 is closely parallel in meaning; for this reason Good News Translation reduces each verse to one line. Job depicts the children of the wicked running and playing like lambs in a pasture. A similar picture is found in Zechariah 8.5. Send forth is used to portray the children going out from their homes like sheep leaving the enclosure and going to the pasture. Their little ones means young children old enough to run and play. Lambs are known for their playful behavior. This line may be rendered, for example, “Their children run like lambs as they play” or “Their children play like lambs in a flock.” In languages in which sheep are not known, it may be possible to substitute another domestic animal or, more often, “Their children run about in happy play.”

And their children dance: children is parallel with little ones in line a and refers to the same children. Bible de Jérusalem and New Jerusalem Bible translate “Their children dance like deer.” This addition is inspired by Psalm 114.4-6 but not recommended by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project. Good News Translation has transferred dance to verse 12, “and dance to the music,” which makes a smoother translation.

They sing to the tambourine and the lyre: in Hebrew there are three musical instruments named in verse 12. The first is a percussion instrument translated tambourine, the second a stringed instrument most often translated “harp” but sometimes lyre, and the third, which is in line b, is a wind instrument translated pipe or more commonly “flute.” For more detailed descriptions and use of these instruments, translators should consult a Bible dictionary. Good News Translation translates only “harps and flutes.” The sense is that the children sing to the accompaniment of these instruments, that is, while the instruments are playing. Good News Translation has shifted dance from verse 11 to verse 12 and omits sing, but the text portrays the children doing both. For the stringed instrument which accompanied the tambourine, Bible en français courant has “guitar” and Bible de Jérusalem has “zither,” which seems to be the instrument used in 1 Samuel 10.5. This line may also be expressed “The children sing as people play the tambourine and the lyre.” In some languages these instruments will be a local drum and a stringed instrument; the latter may be a guitar.

And rejoice to the sound of the pipe: translators differ somewhat as to the activity of the children in this line. The general sense is “to make merry,” which does not specify any particular kind of action, but for children it implies jumping, skipping, or dancing about. They do this in response to the sounds made by the pipe or “flute,” the wind instrument. If there is no wind instrument available to translate pipe, a different kind of instrument may be used. If no musical instrument is available, it may be necessary to borrow a word and say, for example, “a musical instrument called the flute.” If this is not possible, the translator may have to express verse 12 differently; for example, “The children dance and sing and make joyful sounds.”

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 .