shiny

In Gbaya, the notion of something that shines dazzingly is emphasized in the referenced verses with the ideophones zar-zar or bar-bar.

In Job 28:17, it refers to the glass, in Lamentations 4:1 it is used in a negated form (“grown dim”), and in Luke 23:11 it refers to “elegant robe” (which is translated as “bright clothing” [vêtement éclatant] in the French Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

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

Translation commentary on Sirach 43:18

The eye marvels at the beauty of its whiteness: Good News Translation says “We marvel” rather than The eye marvels. This is a bit easier. In this line The eye marvels is parallel to the mind is amazed in the next line, and Good News Translation will make a similar shift there. For at the beauty of its whiteness, we could say “at how beautiful and white it is.”

And the mind is amazed at its falling: Here Good News Translation offers a rewording that well describes what the Greek means. To say that the mind is amazed is to say that we are fascinated (not surprised) to watch snow fall. An alternative model for this line is “and we are fascinated as we watch it fall.”

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.