joy

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The Greek, Latin, Ge’ez, and Hebrew that is translated with “joy” or “gladness” in English is translated with various strategies:

  • Baoulé: “a song in the stomach” (see also peace (inner peace))
  • Bambara: “the spirit is made sweet”
  • Kpelle: “sweet heart”
  • Tzeltal: “the good taste of one’s heart”
  • Uduk: “good to the stomach”
  • Mískito: “the liver is wide open” (“happily letting the pleasures flooding in upon it”) (source for this and above: Nida 1952)
  • Mairasi: “good liver” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Noongar: koort-kwabba-djil or “heart very good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “refreshed heart” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).
  • Hausa Common Language Bible: farin ciki or “white stomach.” Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling,” happiness / joy, and exceeding joy.

complete verse (Job 3:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 3:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “A person like that is very glad
    and even rejoices when death comes to (him)!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Arriving in the grave they rejoice greatly
    and are happy.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They are only happy if they are now dead and now buried.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When they finally die and are buried, they are very happy.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Job 3:22

Who rejoice exceedingly: the Hebrew of line 22a may be read as in Revised Standard Version, exceedingly, or with the more specific meaning of “to see the burial mound,” but as Dhorme points out, a burial mound is not found by digging. New English Bible has “when they reach the tomb”; similar renderings are found in Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Moffatt, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem. Line b repeats the meaning of line a, and are glad, and completes it with the consequence when they find the grave. There is little step-up of intensity in the parallel parts. Good News Translation has condensed both lines to a somewhat toned-down “they are not happy till….”

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 .