cardinal directions

The cardinal directions “east” and “west” are easy to translate into Maan here since the language uses “where the sun comes up” and “where the sun goes down.” For “north” the translator had “facing toward the sun rising to the left,” and for “south” she had “facing toward the sun rising to the right.” So the listener had to think hard before knowing what direction was in view when translating “to the north and south, to the east and west.” So, in case all four directions are mentioned, it was shortened by saying simply “all directions.” Manya uses a similar nomenclature for the cardinal directions. (Source: Don Slager)

Likewise, Yakan has “from the four corners of the earth” (source: Yakan back-translation) or Western Bukidnon Manobo “from the four directions here on the earth” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo back-translation).

Kankanaey is “from the coming-out and the going-away of the sun and the north and the south” (source: Kankanaey back-translation), Northern Emberá “from where the sun comes up, from where it falls, from the looking [left] hand, from the real [right] hand” (source: Charles Mortensen), Amele “from the direction of the sun going up, from the direction of the sun going down, from the north and from the south” (source: John Roberts), Ejamat “look up to see the side where the sun comes from, and the side where it sets, and look on your right side, and on your left” (source: David Frank in this blog post ).

In Lamba, only umutulesuŵa, “where the sun rises” and imbonsi, “where the sun sets” were available as cardinal directions that were not tied to the local area of language speakers (“north” is kumausi — “to the Aushi country” — and “south” kumalenje — “to the Lenje country”). So “north” and “south” were introduced as loanwords, nofu and saufu respectively. The whole phrase is kunofu nakusaufu nakumutulesuŵa nakumbonsi. (Source C. M. Doke in The Bible Translator 1958, p. 57ff. )

“West” is translated in Tzeltal as “where the sun pours-out” and in Kele as “down-river” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel).

In Morelos Nahuatl, “north” is translated as “from above” and “south” as “from below.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

In Matumbi cardinal directions are defined as in relation to another place. “East” for instance typically is “toward the beach” since the coast is in the eastern direction in Matumbi-speaking areas. “North” and “south” can be defined as above or below another place. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)

The Hebrew text that gives instructions where to place items in the tabernacle with the help of cardinal directions (north and south) had to be approached in the Bambam translation specific to spacial concepts of that culture.

Phil Campbell explains: “There are no words in Bambam for north and south. In Exodus 26:35, God instructs that the table is to be placed on the north side and the lamp on the south side inside the tabernacle. The team wants to use right and left to tell where the lamp and table are located. In many languages we would say that the table is on the right and the lampstand is on the left based on the view of someone entering the tabernacle. However, that is not how Bambam people view it. They view the placement of things and rooms in a building according to the orientation of someone standing inside the building facing the front of the building. So that means the table is on the left side and the lampstand is on the right side.”

See also cardinal directions / left and right and people of the East.

complete verse (Judges 20:43)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Judges 20:43:

  • Kupsabiny: “The soldiers of Israel blocked the way for the soldiers of the clan of Benjamin and followed them until then caught them on the East side of Gibeah.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They besieged the Benjaminites. And they pursued them relentlessly [and] defeated them in a place east of Gibeah.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They were surrounded by the Israelinhon and they did- not -stop pursuing until to the east of Gibea.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They surrounded some of the men of the tribe of Benjamin, and pursued the others to the area east of Gibeah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Judges 20:43

This verse, which describes what the Israelites did to the soldiers of Benjamin, is full of textual problems. It also is somewhat unique from a grammatical point of view, since none of the clauses are introduced by the Hebrew waw conjunction, which figures so prominently throughout this book.

Cutting down the Benjaminites renders the Greek Septuagint. The Hebrew has “They surrounded Benjamin.” Many English versions follow the Hebrew rather than the ver Septuagintver*, saying “They surrounded the Benjamites” (New International Version; similarly New American Bible), “They encircled the Benjaminites” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or “They hemmed in the Benjaminites” (New Jerusalem Bible; similarly Revised English Bible). The Hebrew text make good sense in this context. However, translators may follow the ver Septuagintver* if they prefer, but a footnote should be added to give the Hebrew text. If the ver Septuagintver* reading is followed, it may make more sense to reverse this clause and the next one, with the pursuit preceding the Cutting down.

They pursued them and trod them down from Nohah: For pursued see verse 1.6. They pursued them means the Israelites chased the Benjaminites. In Hebrew this clause is followed by a word (menuchah) that can modify it or the next clause. This word can mean “[with] ease” or “[without] resting.” Good News Translation attaches this word to this clause, saying “without stopping they pursued them,” and so does New Jerusalem Bible with “pursued them relentlessly.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project associates this word with the following clause, saying “[from their] resting place they trod them down.” New International Version is similar with “easily overran them.” Instead of using the Hebrew word meaning “easily” or “relentlessly,” Revised Standard Version follows some of the Septuagint manuscripts here by saying from Nohah. Nohah, which means “resting place,” is the name of one of Benjamin’s sons (verse 1 Chr 8.2) and is perhaps the name of the town he founded, so the ver Septuagintver* reading makes sense in this context. Translators may follow either reading here, but should add a footnote if they choose to follow the ver Septuagintver* rather than the Hebrew text.

The Hebrew verb rendered trod … down can refer to trampling grapes to remove their juice (see verse 9.27), but it also is used in military contexts (see verse 5.21, where it is translated “March on”). Here it refers to “trampling,” that is, defeating or subjugating, an enemy. In light of what follows (verse 20.44), many of these people were killed. Thus Revised English Bible‘s “overtook” seems weak. New Jerusalem Bible is better with “crushing.” There is a play on words here, since the Hebrew root for trod … down is related to the root for “direction” (literally “road”) in the previous verse.

As far as opposite Gibe-ah on the east is literally “until in front of the Gibeah from [the] rising of [the] sun.” This phrase could apply to all three verbs in this verse, but logically, it is best attached to the verb pursued. Good News Translation follows this interpretation with “they pursued them as far as a point to the east of Gibeah.” In Hebrew the place name Gibe-ah is preceded by the definite article “the,” which seems of little consequence for the translation. For east see the comments on verse 1.9 and verse 11.18.

Translation models for this verse are:

• They surrounded and pursued the Benjaminites and crushed them completely, all the way from Nohah* to Gibeah in the east.
* The Septuagint reads “from Nohah.” The Hebrew has “[from their] resting place.”

• They surrounded and pursued the Benjaminites relentlessly all the way to the other side of Gibeah on the east, crushing them completely.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .