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.

the organization of work (image)

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Image taken from the Wiedmann Bible. For more information about the images and ways to adopt them, see here .

For other images of Willy Wiedmann paintings in TIPs, see here.

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 patronymic 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 patronymic naming system is used. (Source: Halldór Elías Guðmundsson)

complete verse (Nehemiah 3:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Nehemiah 3:23:

  • Kupsabiny: “Next were Benjamin and Hasshub. Both of these people built the section of the wall which was in front of their homes/families. Azariah son of Maaseiah who was son of Ananiah, took up from there and built to the edge/end of his house.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Next to them were Benjamin and Hashub. They built the portion of the stone-wall that faces their houses. Next to them was Azaria the child of Maasea and grandchild of Anania. He built the portion of the stone-wall beside his house.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Next to them, Benjamin and Hasshub repaired a section in front of their house. Azariah, the son of Maaseiah and grandson of Ananiah, repaired the next section in front of his house.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Nehemiah 3:23

All of the men mentioned in this verse were responsible for building the wall nearest their own houses. A Hasshub is mentioned previously in verse 11 above as building a second section. Benjamin and Azariah are common Hebrew names. Benjamin and Hasshub may have shared a house or their house may be understood to mean “the house of each one of them” (so Good News Translation “their houses”).

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 .