1The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
The Hebrew and Latin that is transliterated as “Micah” in English is translated in Hungarian Sign Language with a sign that suggests that the prophet directly interprets the word of God to the people. (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)
“Micah” in Hungarian Sign Language — note that only the first part refers to “Micah,” the second and third parts refer to “prophet” and “book” (source )
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “humility” or “obey,” referring to Micah 6:8. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
The name that is transliterated as “Samaria” in English means “a watch mountain,” “a place of watching,” “guardianship.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
The name that is transliterated as “Hezekiah” in English means “the Lord my strength,” “the might of YHWH,” “strength of the Lord.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
It is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs for “king” and “facing the wall” referring to Isaiah 38:2. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that signifies a model, a parameter for his life, referring to “he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his ancestor David had done” of 2 Kings 18:3. (Source: Missão Kophós )
The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Micah 1:1:
Kupsabiny: “These are words that God showed to Micah who hailed from the city of Moresheth. Micah received these words when Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were ruling the land of Judah. God revealed to Micah all these words about the city of Samaria and that of Jerusalem.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “During the reign of the kings of Judah- Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, the word of LORD came to Micah who live in city of Moresheth. Which he saw in a vision about Samaria and Jerusalem.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “This is the message of the LORD concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. He revealed this to Micas who comes-from-Moreshet during the time that Jotam, then Ahaz, and Hezekia reigned in Juda. Micas said,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “I am Micah. I am from the town of Moresheth in Judah. Yahweh gave me these messages in visions about Samaria and Jerusalem during the time when Jotham, and then Ahaz, and then Hezekiah, were the kings of Judah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.