bottomless pit

The now commonly-used English idiom “bottomless pit” (for something that holds a very large amount of something) was first coined in 1526 in the English New Testament translation of William Tyndale (spelled as bottomlesse pytt) for the Greek abussos. (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 289)

For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

abyss, bottomless pit

The Greek and Ge’ez that is translated as “abyss” or “bottomless pit” in English is translated as “unfathomably deep place” or “land below” in Indonesian, “land below” in Batak Toba, or “the deep where the earth opens its mouth” in Sranan Tongo (a term well-known from folk tales). (Source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)

In a 1922 translation into Chagatai, a precursor language of both Uzbek and Uighur, it is translated with hāwiyat, derived from the Arabic Islamic Al-Hāwīya (الهاوية), “the lowest level of the hell” (Source: F. Erbay and F.N. Küçükballı in Acta Theologica 2025 45/2, p. 133ff. and Hawiya )

In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated as as Höllenschlund or “entrance to hell (lit.: “throat of hell”).”

See also bottomless pit.

darken

In Gbaya, the notion something darkening is emphasized in the referenced verses with gír-gír, an ideophone that is used for a very dark thing, total darkness, or a lack of visibility.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

complete verse (Revelation 9:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 9:2:

  • Uma: “He/it opened the door to that sinkhole. When he/it opened it, much smoke rose/billowed out, like the smoke that rises from slashed-field that is burned-off. The sun and the atmosphere were dark covered/wrapped in the smoke from that sinkhole.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When the hole was opened by that one called the star, immediately smoke came out from the hole like the smoke of a very big fire. Therefore the place/country became dark because the light of the sun was covered-over/hidden by the thickness of the smoke that came out from the hole.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He opened the pit whose depth has no end, and smoke came out like the smoke of a great forge. And the land became dark and the shining of the sun was blocked off because of the smoke from the pit.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When he had opened it, thick smoke immediately-came-out like that from a large burning. It blocked the sun, and the earth became-dark.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Then that one referred to as the star opened that ravine. Smoke rose up like the thick smoke which comes from quite a few fields being burned. That’s why the sun and air became dark because of that smoke.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Upon opening the cover of this hole, there came out smoke like the smoke of an oven. This smoke covered the light from the sun, laying over the earth.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Revelation 9:2

He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit: it is often better to say, simply, “he (or, the star) opened (or, unlocked) the abyss,” “… the entrance to the abyss,” or “… the entrance to the very deep pit.”

And from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace: it is not necessary to represent the literal form of the Greek text, which is quite redundant. Something like the following is satisfactory: “and smoke came pouring out, like the smoke from a large furnace.” Presumably the smoke came from the fire in the abyss, the fire that burns in Gehenna. A great furnace: in cultures that do not have large wood- or coal-burning furnaces for baking bread, pottery, or even for smelting metals such as iron, there may be specialized vocabulary for big ovens for cooking, or pits dug in the ground for roasting pigs or other animals. Such terms may be used here. This clause may also be expressed as “and smoke came pouring out of the pit, just like smoke coming out of a pit dug in the ground to roast animals.” It is important to avoid terms used for the type of stove to heat a home.

The sun and the air were darkened: there was so much smoke, and it was so thick, that it filled the air and blocked out the sunshine. The text does not mean that the sun quit shining; rather, its rays could not penetrate the smoke, and all was dark. One may also say “the smoke blocked out the rays of the sun” or “the smoke did not let the rays of the sun shine through.”

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 9:2

9:2a

opened the pit of the Abyss: The Greek clause is literally “he opened the shaft of the Abyss.” The New International Version shortens the clause, as is natural in English. In some languages it is more natural to translate the whole Greek clause. For example:

he opened the shaft of the Abyss

9:2b

smoke rose out of it like the smoke of a great furnace: This clause compares the smoke coming from the Abyss to smoke that comes from a great furnace.

In some languages it is not natural to repeat the word smoke. For example:

smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace (New Living Translation (2004))

like the smoke of a great furnace: A furnace is an enclosure heated by a big fire. A furnace often has a smokestack above that takes the smoke far above it. This simile refers to lots of thick black smoke rising quickly.

In some languages people are not familiar with furnaces. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Use a simile for something in your area that produces a lot of black smoke that rises quickly. For example:

like the smoke from a house fire

• Describe the meaning of the simile. For example:

much thick, ⌊black,⌋ smoke rising quickly

9:2c

and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

The smoke from the Abyss darkened the sun and sky
-or-
the sun and the air turned dark because of the smoke (Contemporary English Version)

the air: The Berean Standard Bible translates the Greek phrase here literally as the air. The smoke probably went everywhere in the air: low to the ground and high in the sky and in between, as well. Other ways to translate this word are:

sky (New International Version)
-or-
atmosphere

darkened: The word darkened here indicates that the smoke greatly reduced the amount of light. Here the word probably does not indicate that the sun and sky were completely dark.

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