enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).

Translation commentary on Sirach 6:13

Keep yourself far from your enemies, and be on guard toward your friends: Since this verse is a summary statement of the first part of this section, verses 5-13, which deals with false friends, translators may begin the verse with the connector “So”; for example, “So, stay away from….” The two lines of this verse are closely parallel in Greek, which is appropriate for a memorable summary proverb. They are literally “From your enemies … and from your friends….” It is probably impossible to duplicate this in English. Translators in other languages may find a way. “Stay away from your enemies” (Good News Translation) is advice that is easy to take, but if “be on guard against your friends” (Good News Translation) sounds a bit cynical, it is. Ben Sira has only wisdom of the most practical kind to offer; he is not teaching self-sacrificing love. He is teaching how to live a happy and rewarding life by steering around human weaknesses.

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.