son vs. grandson

“Son of x, son of y” must be rendered as “son of x or grandson of y” in Tibetan or else it will sound like two different people. (Source: David Clark in Clark / Desnitsky 2009 , p. 21).

Note: The same translation solution is chosen in many contemporary English Bibles that emphasize easy readability, such as the Contemporary English Version, Common English Bible, Good News Translation, God’s Word, or New Living Translation.

See also father / grandfather.

son of

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “son of” in English is translated in all Icelandic Bible versions of the Icelandic Bible Society (latest edition 2007) in parallel with the Icelandic naming system . This means that for instance in Matthew 16:17 the name that is transliterated and translated in English as “Simon son of Jonah” becomes “Simon Jónasson” or in Isaiah 8:2 “Zechariah son of Jeberechiah” becomes “Sakaría Jeberekíason” where in both cases the “-son” means “son of.”

In cases where “son of” does not refer to a literal father or perhaps stepfather but to lineage, however, this system is not used. So in Matthew 1:1 “Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” is translated as “Jesú Krists, sonar Davíðs, sonar Abrahams.”

The referenced verses all have at least one instance where the Icelandic patronymic or matronymic naming system is used. (Source: Halldór Elías Guðmundsson)

See also daughter of.

complete verse (Nehemiah 11:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Nehemiah 11:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “But/And those from the clan of Benjamin were: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “From the tribe of Benjamin:
    Salu the child of Meshulam. (Meshulam was the child of Joed; Joed was the child of Pedaya; Pedaya was the child of Kolaya; Kolaya was the child of Maasea; Maasea was the child of Itiel; and Itiel was the child of Jeshaya);” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “One of the men of the tribe of Benjamin who decided to live in Jerusalem was Sallu, the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Nehemiah 11:7

Sons of Benjamin: These are “members of the tribe of Benjamin” (so Good News Translation), “Benjamites” (Revised English Bible), or “Benjaminites” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Receptor languages should use the form that is common for making reference to those who are descended from one ancestor.

Only one family head of the tribe of Benjamin is named: Sallu (see 1 Chr 9.7).

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .