their lives loathe bread

The Hebrew in Job 33:20 that is translated as “their lives loathe bread” or similar in English is translated in Chitonga with the existing metaphor “food makes his heart black.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 131)

complete verse (Job 33:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 33:20:

  • Kupsabiny: “A sick person loses appetite
    even if (he) is brought good food.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “And he hates food.
    And even though it is ever so tasty, his soul hates food.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “that causes-to-lose his appetite for food even for the very-delicious food.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The result is that we do not desire any food,
    not even very special food.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Job 33:20

The result of sickness is his loss of appetite. So that his life loathes bread: his life refers to the sick man, and so Good News Translation translates “The sick man” as the subject of line a. What the sick person loathes, “dislikes, has no desire for,” is bread, which stands here for “food” in the general sense.

And his appetite dainty food: appetite is used here as the subject which loathes … dainty food. Appetite translates “his nefesh,” which is commonly used in Hebrew in connection with desires and is suitably translated appetite in this context. Dainty food is literally “food of desire” and refers to the special foods a person likes, often referred to in English as “special or favorite dishes.” Many languages have special terms to designate particular foods that appeal to the appetite. The line may be rendered “and he cannot stand his favorite dishes” or “and even his favorite dishes are repulsive to him.”

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 .