solid / hard

In Gbaya, the something solid or hard is emphasized in the referenced verses with kpóé-kpóé, an ideophone that describes designates something that is solid or hard like iron or ice.

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 41:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 41:15:

  • Kupsabiny: “Hard/dry scales has covered its back
    which are as if they have been hammered on.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “His back is like a row of shields.
    It is as if those shields had been sealed, fastened and put together.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “His back is like shields being-in-rows being-next-to-each-other;” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They have rows of scales on their back
    which are as hard as a rock (OR, tightly fastened together).” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Job 41:15

His back is made of rows of shields follows the ancient versions, as the Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation notes indicate. The Hebrew text has “pride” instead of back. Rows of shields translates the literal Hebrew and refers to the hard scales or plates that cover the animal’s back. The line may also be rendered, for example, “His back is covered with rows of thick scales” or “… rows of heavy scales that protect him.”

The shields are said to be shut up closely as with a seal. In the second line Revised Standard Version follows the Hebrew text, which may mean that the series of shields or scales are identical and tightly arranged, so they are like a row of impressions made by a single seal or stamp. On the other hand the sense may be that each scale is closed tightly as if sealed shut. Good News Translation follows the Septuagint, which changed the vowel of the Hebrew word rendered closely to get “stone.” In this understanding the scales are compared to the rock-hardness of the seal, and so Good News Translation has “fastened together and hard as stone.” Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation are recommended.

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 .