threshing sledge

The Hebrew that is translated as “threshing sledge” in English is translated in Bura-Pabir as sur dəga or “threshing thing.” “It is good to use this quite general term here, since it is a hyperonym (more general term) for both the Hebrew and Bura cultural variants (a sledge and a stick respectively).” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

it spreads itself like a threshing sledge

The Hebrew that is translated as “it spreads itself like a threshing sledge” or similar in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “they furrow the ground as if people were farming” since threshing sledges are unknown. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

complete verse (Job 41:30)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 41:30:

  • Kupsabiny: “On the stomach side it has sharp scales,
    so that when it crawls on the ground it digs up the soil.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “It looks like there are pointed things on his belly.
    When he goes walking, he moves the mud hither and thither like a threshing sledge.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “His stomach has sharp scales as-if-like broken glass. Therefore if he crawls on the mud, his trail marks.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Job 41:30

His underparts are like sharp potsherds is literally “under him points of potsherds.” The reference is to the belly of the crocodile, which is covered with scales. Potsherds is the same word used in 2.8, where Job scrapes his skin with these. See there for comments. As Leviathan crawls through the mud, the scales on his belly leave their marks on the ground. This action is compared to that of a threshing sledge, which consists of parallel boards with sharp stones and is dragged over the threshing floor to remove the grain from the seed coverings. For further details see a Bible dictionary. Mire refers to the muddy ground where the animal leaves and enters the water. “Beneath him his belly is like sharp pieces of broken pottery.” Threshing sledge must often be adapted to some local piece of similar equipment, or a descriptive phrase may be used; for example, “When he drags himself through the mud, he leaves marks as if made by a board with spikes driven through it.”

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 .