large crowds

In Gbaya, the notion of large crowds is emphasized with the ideophone súm-súm that expresses being numerous, crowded together, when talking about people, trees, etc. Note that in Hosea 10:8 súm-súm refers to the large number of thorns and thistles.

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

terror

In Gbaya, the notion of something terrible as in Job 41:14 is emphasized with the ideophone sùm-sùm.

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

complete verse (Job 41:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 41:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “Who can force open its mouth?
    Its teeth scares all people!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Who has the courage to open the door of his mouth?
    For his teeth are dangerous.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Who can-cause- him -to-open-up-his-mouth? For his teeth are dreadful/fearful!” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Can anyone pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them?/No one can pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them!” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Job 41:14

Who can open the doors of his face? continues the use of the figure. The doors of his face is figurative language referring to “his jaws.” The sense is “Who has the strength to open his jaws?” or “Who has the strength to make him open his mouth?” The answer is “No one,” and so the thought may also be expressed as “Nobody can make him open his jaws.”

Round about his teeth is terror makes a separate statement in Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation links this line more closely to line a with “ringed with…” modifying “jaws.” It is the teeth that cause terror, not something around them. “Seeing his teeth causes a person terror” or “His teeth frighten people.”

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 .