mind

The Greek that is typically translated as “mind” in English is translated in Warao as obojona, a term that “includes the concepts of consciousness, will, attitude, attention and a few other miscellaneous notions.” (Source: Henry Osborn in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 74ff. )

In Elhomwe it is often translated as “heart,” “because all thoughts come from heart in Elhomwe thought.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See other occurrences of Obojona in the Warao New Testament.

seven kings

The Greek that is translated as “seven kings” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as sieben römische Kaiser or “seven Roman emperors.”

wisdom

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is translated as “wisdom” in English is rendered in various ways:

  • Amganad Ifugao / Tabasco Chontal: “(big) mind”
  • Bulu / Yamba: “heart-thinking”
  • Tae’: “cleverness of heart” (source for this and all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Palauan: “bright spirit (innermost)” (source: Bratcher / Hatton)
  • Ixcatlán Mazatec: “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom)
  • Noongar: dwangka-boola, lit. “ear much” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018 — see also remember)
  • Kwere “to know how to live well” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Dobel: “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes)

Note that in Chichewa, there is only one word — nzeru — that encompasses both “knowledge” and “wisdom.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also wisdom (Proverbs).

complete verse (Revelation 17:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 17:9:

  • Uma: “‘That is why we need to think as clearly as possible so that we understand the meaning of the figure of speech. The seven heads of the animal stand for seven mountains that the woman sits on. And the seven heads also stand for seven kings.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The angel also said, ‘What I am now explaining can be understood by people of deep intelligence. The meaning of that creature’s seven heads is seven hills, that is the sitting-place of that bad woman. Its meaning is also seven kings.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “A wise person with a good head will be able to understand this. The interpretation of the seven heads of the beast are seven hills where the woman sits, which is to say, the famous city. That is not all, because the seven heads are also seven kings.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then the angel continued to say, ‘It requires a wise/intelligent and thoughtful/reflective person to be able-to-understand this. The meaning of the seven heads, it is seven mountains on-which-the woman -is-seated.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Really a quick mind (lit. softness of head) and wisdom/understanding is needed here. Those seven heads, they are the seven hills on which that woman is sitting.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the words here, it is wanted that the thinking of the person be firm in order to understand about this word. These seven heads of the terrible animal come out to mean seven hills which serve for a seat for the woman.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on Revelation 17:9 – 17:10

This calls for a mind with wisdom: see 13.18. The translation can say “This requires a wise thinker,” “… wise thinking,” or “… a person with great insight.”

The seven heads are seven mountains: throughout this explanation the verb “to be” is used, as in “heads are mountains” and so forth. In some languages it will be better to say “represent,” “stand for,” or “symbolize.”

Seven mountains on which the woman is seated: this is a clear reference to the city of Rome. It is to be noticed that the same verb “be seated on” is used in verses 1 and 3. In certain languages that, like English, distinguish between hills and mountains, translators should pick a term for “hills” that refers to a usually rounded natural elevation of land that is lower than a mountain. The hills referred to are generally lower than 1000 feet.

Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation differ on where verse 10 begins. Revised Standard Version follows the verse division of King James Version and American Standard Version; Good News Bible follows the UBS Greek New Testament. New Revised Standard Version is now like Good News Bible.

They are also seven kings: the fuller statement may be preferable: “the heads also represent seven kings.” It is generally agreed that these seven kings were kings, or emperors, of Rome who succeeded one another; they are not kings of seven different countries. For the translation of kings see 1.5 and elsewhere.

Five of them have fallen: the verb “to fall” here does not necessarily mean that they were killed or deposed, but simply that they died, they no longer live. The verb (in Hebrew) is used of Abner in 2 Sam 3.38. So the translation can say “five of them have already died.”

One is: this means “one of them is now king.”

The other has not yet come: this one is the last of the seven, so the translation can say “the last one is yet to appear.”

When he comes he must remain only a little while: the emphasis is on the short length of his reign: “when he appears, he will be king for a little while only.” As often in the New Testament, and in this book in particular, the verb translated “must” indicates God’s control of human affairs (see 1.1). In that case one may say “he will be allowed to be king (or, high chief) for a little while only” or “God will let him rule for only a little while.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 17:9

Paragraph 17:9–11

17:9a

This calls for a mind with wisdom: The Greek clause is literally “Here is the mind which has wisdom” (as in the New American Standard Bible and King James Version). It urges readers to be wise regarding the symbolic meanings of the woman and the beast. The angel explained some of the symbolic meanings in 17:9–18. The reader will need wisdom to understand what the angel explained. Other ways to translate this clause are:

A mind with wisdom is needed here.
-or-
This takes/requires a mind having wisdom.
-or-
In this situation a wise mind is needed. (God’s Word)

wisdom: The word wisdom means “the ability to understand events and know what should be done.” See how you translated this word in 5:12 or 13:18.

17:9b

The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits: The phrase seven mountains on which the woman sits explains the symbolic meaning of the seven heads. But the phrase seven mountains on which the woman sits is also symbolic itself. The city of Rome is located on seven hills. But Rome might be symbolic of a powerful country or empire. It might be symbolic of the human government controlled by the beast. You should translate the literal meaning of this phrase.

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