hate

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “hate” or a form thereof is translated in Tabasco Chontal as “don’t want to see [the person who is hated].” (Source: John Beekman & Harwood Hess in Notes on Translation, March 1963, p. 1ff.)

See also hate.

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 31:29)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 31:29:

  • Kupsabiny: “I did not laugh at my enemies when they were in trouble
    nor were I happy when calamity came to them.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I have never rejoiced at the destruction of our enemy,
    nor have I ever rejoiced when he was suffering,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘I have- not -rejoiced when my enemies were-destroyed or when difficulty/hardship came to them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Job 31:29

In Revised Standard Version verse 29 begins with another “if” clause as a form of oath denying a particular sin. Verse 30 interrupts the “if” clause by making a statement of denial. The same procedure is repeated in verses 31 and 32, to be followed in verse 33 by still another “if” clause. Instead of Job calling down a punishment at verse 34, there is a suggested cause why Job may have been tempted to be hypocritical in verse 33. With verse 34 the build-up of denials breaks off without the self-cursing the reader has been led to expect. Accordingly many scholars transfer verses 38-40 to other locations throughout the chapter. Translations such as Good News Translation, which do not use the “if” clause structure in verses 29-34, are able to present the sequence of denials in these verses without the sense of incompleteness in Revised Standard Version.

If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him that hated me: rejoiced translates the same word used in verse 25a, but here the sense is “to take satisfaction, to be pleased.” The ruin translates a word found only here and in Proverbs 24.22, and means “misfortune, disaster.” Him that hated me translates a form of the verb “hate” which may best be rendered as “enemy,” as in Good News Translation and others. This line may also be expressed “I have never been glad to see my enemies in trouble” or “I have never been pleased when people who hate me have misfortune.”

Or exulted when evil overtook him: exulted occurs also in Isaiah 51.17. Here it is used in the reflexive form and means to be glad, but in this context, at another person’s expense—a cruel joy that comes from seeing someone else suffer. Evil is parallel with ruin in the previous line and refers to “misfortune, trouble.” Good News Translation translates both these parallel lines rather than shortening and combining them into one.

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 .