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.” (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.

sunrise, sunset

The Hebrew and Greek terms that is translated as “sunrise” and “sunset” or similar in English are translated in Chichewa as “sun coming out” and “sun entering.” The understanding is that the sun moves and that when it is evening it goes back where it belongs. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Nahshon

The name that is transliterated as “Nahshon” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with the sign that combines “quantity,” “counting,” and “3.” (Judah is the third listed tribe and Nahshon is responsible for its census — see Numbers 1:7). (Source: Missão Kophós )


“Nahshon” in Libras (source )

More information under Nahshon .

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Judah, Judea

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)


“Judah” and “Judea” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Judah, Judah (son of Jacob) , and Tribe of Judah .

Amminadab

The name that is transliterated as “Amminadab” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that combines the number 3 (Amminadab is a descendant of Judah and Judah is the third listed tribe) and for his son Nahshon who was a prince of the tribe of Judah. (Source: Aline Martins and Paul Fahnestock)


“Amminadab” in Libras (source )

More information on Amminadab .

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Translation commentary on Numbers 2:3 - 2:9

The numbers here and in the rest of the chapter correspond exactly with those in chapter 1. See the comments on 1.20-46.

Those to encamp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah means Judah and the other tribes in its group must camp on the east side of the Tent of Meeting. The phrase toward the sunrise seems superfluous and unnecessary after the east side. Probably for this reason Good News Translation has omitted it. But toward the sunrise (“where the sun rises” in De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling) is crucial information. Although Reuben was Israel’s firstborn son, it is not the banner of Reuben’s camp (located on the south) but the banner of Judah’s camp that must be on this side, which was the side of the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (see 3.38). The position of Judah’s camp at this privileged side underlines how important the tribe of Judah was. If a literal rendering of toward the sunrise poses a problem, this phrase may be translated “on the front side [of the tent]” or even “on the side of the [tent’s] entrance.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh renders on the east side toward the sunrise as “on the front, or east side.” In some languages the directions of sunrise and sunset are culturally significant (for instance, in burial rituals) and there may be particular technical or idiomatic ways of expressing them; for example, Chewa expresses sunrise as “where the sun comes out.” The camp of Judah refers to the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

By their companies is literally “by their troops” (see the comments on 1.3). The Israelites were a well-organized army.

The leader of the people of Judah being Nahshon the son of Amminadab: See 1.7. The Hebrew word for leader is nasiʾ (see 1.16), which is better rendered “chief” (Revised English Bible) or “Chieftain” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) in this context.

His host as numbered …: Host renders the same Hebrew word (tsavaʾ) as companies, but in the singular. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh renders it “troop.” Numbered renders the same Hebrew verb (paqad) translated “number” in 1.3 (see the comments there). It is better rendered “registered” (New Living Translation), “enrolled” (New Revised Standard Version), or “recorded.”

Those to encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar: The pronoun him refers to the tribe of Judah. Contemporary English Version makes this clear by rendering this clause as “On one side of Judah will be the tribe of Issachar.”

The leader of the people of Issachar being Nethanel the son of Zuar: See 1.8.

Then the tribe of Zebulun: Nothing in the Hebrew text corresponds with the conjunction Then; the Hebrew only has “The tribe of Zebulun” and seems like a list at this point. This sentence is not grammatically complete. Perhaps the target language has a special conjunction or transitional term to indicate the last item in a list, whether short (as this one) or long. In some languages (for example, Albanian) it will be more natural and seem less repetitive if this first sentence about Zebulun is moved to the beginning of verse 5, combining it with the tribe of Issachar as follows: “Those to camp next to the tribe of Judah shall be the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun….”

The leader of the people of Zebulun being Eliab the son of Helon: See 1.9.

The whole number of the camp of Judah is literally “All those enrolled of the camp of Judah.” Number renders the Hebrew verb paqad again (see 1.3), so it is better translated “enrolled” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The King James Version (King James Version) renders this whole phrase as “All that were numbered in the camp of Judah,” but the Hebrew here shows no indication of any past tense at all (so also in verses 16, 24, and 31).

They shall set out first on the march: This clause refers to repetitive action; not just one change of camp is in view here but many. Chewa provides a good model for this clause, saying “Those ones [tribes] should be out in front as they move/travel.” The pronoun They refers to the three tribes under the banner of Judah. The Hebrew verb rendered set out … on the march can mean “move off,” “set out,” “journey further,” or “march.” The translation of it here should fit the context of a (military) camp.

We recommend Good News Translation‘s list layout for verses 3-9, 10-16, 18-24, and 25-31. Bible en français courant has lists as well, but without headings such as “Tribe.” This does not make the translation unclear, because Bible en français courant introduces the lists with “under a chief of their tribe” instead of “under their leaders” (Good News Translation). In any case, whether there is a list layout or not, the verses about each group of three tribes may be put in a separate paragraph (so Good News Translation), or may even be preceded and followed by a blank line (so New International Version). The numbers may be printed in figures, not only because it will make the translation easier to read but also because figures are more fitting in lists of this kind.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .