peace (inner peace)

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The Hebrew, Ge’ez, and Greek that is usually translated into English as “peace,” when referring to one’s inner peace, is (back-) translated with a variety of idioms and phrases:

In American Sign Language it is signed with a compound sign consisting of “become” and “silent.” (Source: Yates 2011, p. 52)


“Peace” in American Sign Language (source )

See also peace (absence of strife) and this devotion on YouVersion and this one on Bible Gateway .

covenant

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The Hebrew, Greek, Ge’ez, and Latin that are translated as “covenant” in English are translated in a variety of ways. Here are some (back-) translations:

  • Mossi: “helping promise”
  • Vai: “a thing-time-bind” (i.e. “an arrangement agreed upon for a period of time”)
  • Loma (Liberia): “agreement”
  • Northwestern Dinka: “agreement which is tied up” (i.e. “secure and binding”)
  • Chol: “a word which is left”
  • Huastec: “a broken-off word” (“based on the concept of ‘breaking off a word’ and leaving it with the person with whom an agreement has been reached”)
  • Tetelcingo Nahuatl: “a death command” (i.e. “a special term for testament”)
  • Piro: “a promised word”
  • Eastern Krahn: “a word between”
  • Yaka: “promise that brings together” (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Nabak: alakŋaŋ or “tying the knot” (source: Fabian 2013, p. 156)
  • Kâte: ʒâʒâfic or “tie together” (source: Renck 1990, p. 108)
  • Nyamwezi: ilagano: “agreement, contract, covenant, promise” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Bariai: “true talk” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Q’anjob’al: “put mouths equal” (representing agreement) (source: Newberry and Kittie Cox in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 91ff. )
  • Manikion, Indonesian: “God’s promise” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Natügu: nzesz’tikr drtwr: “oneness of mind” (source: Brenda Boerger in Beerle-Moor / Voinov, p. 164)
  • Tagalog: tipan: mutual promising on the part of two persons agreeing to do something (also has a romantic touch and denotes something secretive) (source: G. Henry Waterman in The Bible Translator 1960, p. 24ff. )
  • Tagbanwa: “initiated-agreement” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Guhu-Samane: “The concept [in Mark 14:24 and Matthew 16:28] is not easy, but the ritual freeing of a fruit and nut preserve does afford some reference. Thus, ‘As they were drinking he said to them, ‘On behalf of many this poro provision [poro is the traditional religion] of my blood is released.’ (…) God is here seen as the great benefactor and man the grateful recipient.” (Source: Ernest Richert in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. )
  • Chichewa: pangano. This word can also be translated as a contract, agreement, or a treaty between two parties. In Chewa culture, two people or groups enter into an agreement to help each other in times of need. When entering into an agreement, parties look at the mutual benefits which will be gained. The agreement terms are mostly kept as a secret between the parties and the witnesses involved. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Law (2013, p. 95) writes about how the Ancient Greek Septuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew berith was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments (click or tap here to read more):

“Right from the start we witness the influence of the Septuagint on the earliest expressions of the Christian faith. In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of his blood being a kaine diatheke, a ‘new covenant.’ The covenant is elucidated in Hebrews 8:8-12 and other texts, but it was preserved in the words of Jesus with this language in Luke 22:20 when at the Last Supper Jesus said, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Jesus’s blood was to provide the grounds for the ‘new covenant,’ in contrast to the old one his disciples knew from the Jewish scriptures (e.g., Jeremiah 31:31-34). Thus, the earliest Christians accepted the Jewish Scriptures as prophecies about Jesus and in time began to call the collection the ‘Old Testament’ and the writings about Jesus and early Christianity the ‘New Testament,’ since ‘testament’ was another word for ‘covenant.’ The covenant promises of God (berith in Hebrew) were translated in the Septuagint with the word diatheke. In classical Greek diatheke had meant ‘last will, testament,’ but in the Septuagint it is the chosen equivalent for God’s covenant with his people. The author of Hebrews plays on the double meaning, and when Luke records Jesus’ announcement at the Last Supper that his blood was instituting a ‘new covenant,’ or a ‘new testament,’ he is using the language in an explicit contrast with the old covenant, found in the Jewish scriptures. Soon, the writings that would eventually be chosen to make up the texts about the life and teachings of Jesus and the earliest expression of the Christian faith would be called the New Testament. This very distinction between the Old and New Testaments is based on the Septuagint’s language.”

See also establish (covenant) and covenant (book).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Covenant in the Hebrew Bible .

complete verse (Numbers 25:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 25:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, tell (him) that I am going to make with him my covenant of peace.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Since it is like that, tell him, I am sealing my covenant of peace with him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So tell him that I will-make a covenant/agreement with him, that I will-bless his well-being.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Now tell him that I am making a special peace agreement with him.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Numbers 25:12 - 25:13

Phinehas’ role and its significance in verses 12-13 are referred to in similar terms in Sirach 45.23-24 and 1 Maccabees 2.54.

Therefore say: This quote frame introduces what the LORD wants Moses to tell Phinehas as a formal consequence of what Phinehas has done (verse 11). Good News Translation makes it clear that the following words are for Phinehas by rendering this quote frame as “So tell him [Phinehas],” which other languages may find helpful. However, the following quote does not address Phinehas directly since he is referred to in the third person with the pronouns he, him, and his, so it is an indirect quote, which Good News Translation reflects. The Hebrew construction of this quote frame suggests a greater level of formality in this discourse than reflected in Good News Translation, so a better model here is “Therefore, announce to him that…” (similarly NET Bible).

Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace: Behold, I give renders a Hebrew participle and the word hinneh. This construction refers to an imminent and deliberate future action, so it may be translated “Indeed, I am giving” or “I am surely about to give.” Good News Translation uses a more natural verb in English to fit this context of a covenant, saying “I am making a covenant….” For covenant see 10.33. A literal translation of my covenant of peace might suggest that the LORD is making peace with Phinehas. However, the Hebrew word for peace (shalom) does not refer just to the absence of war, but also to prosperity, health and well-being (see the comments on 6.26). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh renders this phrase as “My pact of friendship” (similarly De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling), the NET Bible footnote has “my pledge of friendship,” and Revised English Bible says “my covenant pledge of prosperity.” For a similar phrase see Isa 54.10; Ezek 34.25; 37.26; and Mal 2.5.

And it shall be to him, and to his descendants after him, the covenant of a perpetual priesthood: This statement clarifies the nature of my covenant of peace. Bible en français courant makes this clear by saying “this covenant, valid for him and for his descendants, makes them priests for all time.” Another good model is “This covenant means that he and his descendants are permanently established as priests” (similarly Good News Translation). For the Hebrew word rendered descendants (literally “seed”), see the comments on 14.24.

Because he was jealous for his God: See the comments on verse 11. This clause may be rendered “because he did not tolerate any rivals to me” (Good News Translation), “because he took impassioned action for his God” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or “because he was zealous for the honor of his God” (New International Version; similarly NET Bible). Since God is speaking, Good News Translation refers to him in the first person here, which other languages may find helpful.

And made atonement for the people of Israel: For the Hebrew verb rendered made atonement, which literally means “covered,” see 5.8. This clause may be translated “and so he obtained forgiveness for the Israelites” (Bible en français courant, SPCL). The NET Bible footnote here explains that God forgave the Israelites and ended the plague because Phinehas killed the two blatant sinners.

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 .