falling drops

In Gbaya, the notion of drops falling one by one is emphasized in the referenced verses with kóɗóŋ-kóɗóŋ, an ideophone that expresses the sound of drops falling one by one.

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

complete verse (Job 29:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 29:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “And when I had finished speaking,
    they were so satisfied that there was nothing for a person to add to them.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “After I had finished talking, they had nothing to add.
    My words drenched their hearts like the earth is drenched when rain comes.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “After I spoke, they have nothing to add for they are satisfied to what I have-spoken.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Job 29:22

After I spoke they did not speak again: Job always had the last word. What he said was final, and people did not argue with him.

And my word dropped upon them: dropped, as used in Revised Standard Version, suggests a single act. The Hebrew verb, however, suggests the dripping of a liquid, drop after drop, and so Good News Translation “My words sank in like drops of rain” conveys the idea accurately and in a pleasing manner. This line may be rendered, for example, “my words were pleasant to them like drops of rain” or “my words fell on them like rain drops on dry ground.”

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 .