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 38:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 38:17:

  • Kupsabiny: “Were you maybe shown the entrance to the world of the dead?
    Or did you again see the world of the dead where darkness covers it?” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Has anyone ever shown you he door to the world of the dead?
    Have you ever seen the doors of deep darkness?” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Have- the entrance/gates going to the dark place of the dead-ones -been- shown to you (sing.)?” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Job 38:17

Have the gates of death been revealed to you…? asks if Job has been shown the entrance to the world of the dead, or Sheol. Gates of death is found in Psalm 9.13; 107.18, and “gates of Sheol” in Isaiah 38.10. Gates of death are not gates that belong to death, but rather gates that mark the entrance to such a place.

The two lines of this verse are parallel in meaning. In line b gates in gates of deep darkness is the same word as in line a. Deep darkness is used in 3.5 and refers to the darkness of Sheol. That the world of the dead is thought of as a dark place is emphasized by Job in 10.21, 22. Good News Translation has not repeated gates but reduces the two lines to one: “gates that guard the dark world of the dead.” In languages which do not use passive constructions, the first line must be reformed, as in Good News Translation. For example, “Has anyone ever shown you the entrance to the world of the dead?” Some translators may prefer to reduce these two lines to one and say, for example, “Has anyone ever shown you the dark entrance (doors, gates) of Sheol, the world of the dead?”

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 .