sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

In Malagasy culture, the sea is perceived as sacred because it was a path taken by the ancestors. That is why the Malagasy word for the “sea” is ranomasina, which literally means “the sacred water.” The word masina actually has two different meanings: “salted” and “sacred/holy.” Salt is used for the conservation of some foods, such as meat or fish, that are to be set aside for later use. In this sense, the Malagasy phrase for “Holy Spirit” has the literal meaning of “Salted Spirit.” (Source: Brigitte Rabarijaona in The Bible Translator 2022, p. 103ff.)

Translation commentary on Sirach 24:6

In the waves of the sea, in the whole earth, and in every people and nation I have gotten a possession: Have gotten a possession translates the Greek of Rahlfs’ text, which is found in the majority of manuscripts. Good News Translation “ruled over” is following another text, found in Ziegler’s edition. While several translations (including New Revised Standard Version) go with Good News Translation, which is supported by the Latin and Syriac, we suggest that translators follow Revised Standard Version. This will fit in better with verse 7. An American Translation says “owned.” Other ways of expressing this would be “took possession of” and “claimed … as my own.” The whole earth refers to dry land here, as opposed to the sea. The Greek words for people and nation translate two Hebrew words. The first Hebrew word is usually applied to God’s people, the Israelites, while the second one usually refers to other nations, the Gentiles. Here both terms are used together to refer to all nations since they are qualified by the adjective every. We could translate this whole verse as follows:

• I took possession of land and sea,
of every people and nation.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Sirach. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.