darkness

In Gbaya, the notion of deep darkness is emphasized in the referenced verses with kpɔ̧ɔ̧-kpɔ̧ɔ̧, an ideophone that refers to something very black, dark black like the darkness of night the movement or motion of shaking.

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

See also darkness and darkness.

complete verse (Job 34:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 34:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “There is no darkness nor blackness
    that can hide sinners so that God does not see (them).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “There is no deep darkness [where] evil doers are able to hide from Him,
    there is no exceedingly dark place anywhere.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Surely there is no dark place where the wicked can-hide.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Job 34:22

There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves means that God’s eyes can penetrate the deepest darkness so that no one is hidden from him. The thought is inspired by Psalm 139.11-12 and Jeremiah 23.24. For a discussion of gloom or deep darkness, see 3.5. Evildoers translates the same Hebrew term as “workers of iniquity” in 31.3. Verse 22 may also be expressed “For God there is no darkness dark enough to keep him from seeing people who do evil” or “The blackest darkness is not sufficient for the evildoer to hide from God.”

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 .