joy

Click here to view graphically

The Greek, Latin, Ge’ez, and Hebrew that is translated with “joy” or “gladness” in English is translated with various strategies:

  • Baoulé: “a song in the stomach” (see also peace (inner peace))
  • Bambara: “the spirit is made sweet”
  • Kpelle: “sweet heart”
  • Tzeltal: “the good taste of one’s heart”
  • Uduk: “good to the stomach”
  • Mískito: “the liver is wide open” (“happily letting the pleasures flooding in upon it”) (source for this and above: Nida 1952)
  • Mairasi: “good liver” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Noongar: koort-kwabba-djil or “heart very good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “refreshed heart” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).
  • Hausa Common Language Bible: farin ciki or “white stomach.” Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling,” happiness / joy, and exceeding joy.

complete verse (Psalm 126:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 126:6:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “He who wanders and cry,
    having carried seed to sow,
    will return while singing songs of joy,
    carrying his bundles.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “The people who go weeping, bringing seed to sow,
    will come back bringing sheaves (harvest bundles),
    singing songs and rejoicing.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “The one (who) went-(out) crying, carrying seed for-sowing-(by casting seeds), later will-come-home rejoicing, carrying/bringing the harvest.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “The person who cry as he carry the seeds going to plant,
    he comes back and sings songs of joy,
    he carries sheaves of sorghum.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Ambao wanakwenda kupanda mbegu wakati wanalia,
    watakuja kurudi na furaha wakati wamebeba mavuno mengi.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Those who cried as they carried the bags of seeds to the fields will shout joyfully when they bring the crops to their houses at harvest time.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Psalm 126:6

In verse 6, bearing the seed for sowing, it is uncertain what the Hebrew word translated the seed means; most take it to mean a leather bag in which the seed was carried (so New Jerusalem Bible “carrying the seed-bag”; Dahood “seed pouch”; similarly Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). Others, like Revised Standard Version, have the seed for sowing, but this seems less likely (see Anderson). Given the uncertainty of meaning of the specific term, Good News Translation has expressed the essential meaning of the Hebrew by having “carrying the seed,” which means, of course, in order to plant the seed. Care should be taken in this verse not to lead the reader to think that the going out to sow and the returning home with the harvest happened on the same day. The time of sowing was in late winter, and harvest began in mid-April. In languages in which there is no generic term for seed, it will be necessary to specify the kind of seed, such as corn. Good News Translation has avoided the picture of sheaves of grain by substituting “bring in the harvest,” which many other languages can do. If this is not possible, the translator will have to specify the nature of the harvest according to the seed.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .