purple

The Greek and Hebrew hat is translated as “purple” in English is translated as “blue-red” in Ojitlán Chinantec (source: M. Larson in Notes on Translation 1970, p. 1ff.) and in Elhomwe (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext). In Silimo it is translated with a local reference: “the colour of the wipegen berry” (source: Buzz and Myrna Maxey ).

In Kasua was a little bit more involved, as Rachel Greco recalls (in The PNG Experience ):

“The Kasua people of Western Province have no word for the color purple. They have words for many other colors: black, red, white, yellow, green, and blue, but not for the color of royalty.

“About nine New Testament passages mention people placing a purple robe on Jesus. The Kasua translation team always wanted to use the word ‘red,’ or keyalo, to describe the robe. Tommy, one of the translation team helpers, disagreed because this is not historically accurate or signifies the royalty of Jesus.

“One of the main rules of translation is that the team must stick to the historical facts when they translate a passage. If they don’t, then how can the readers trust what they’re reading is true? Other questions about truth could bubble in the reader’s minds about the Scriptures. For this reason, Tommy was not willing to change the word purple. So the team hung up the problem, hoping to revisit it later with more inspiration.

“God did not disappoint.

“Years later, Tommy hiked with some of the men near their village. They saw a tree that possessed bulbous growths growing on the side of it like fruit. These growths were ‘the most beautiful color of purple I’d ever seen,’ explained Tommy.

“’What is the name of this tree?’ Tommy asked the men.

“’This is an Okani tree,’ they replied.

“Tommy suggested, ‘Why don’t you, in those passages where we’ve been struggling to translate the color purple, use ‘they put a robe on Jesus the color of the fruit of the Okani tree’?

“’Yeah. We know exactly what color that is,’ the men said enthusiastically.

“Everyone in their village would also visualize this phrase accurately, as the Okani tree is the only tree in that area that produces this kind of purple growth. So now, among the Kasua people, in his royal purple robe, Jesus is shown to be the king that he is.”

In Numbers 4:13, Gbaya uses the ideophone soi-soi to emphasize the purple color. Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation and soi-soi designates something that has a red or purple color, or a thing with a clear or clean appearance. (Source: Philip Noss)

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

complete verse (Song of Solomon 3:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Song of Solomon 3:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “The legs of that chair are covered with silver,
    and gold is smeared on the back.
    The seat is covered with purple cloth,
    that the girls of Jerusalem have sewn in their love.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He made its supports of silver,
    and the base of gold.
    Its seat is covered with purple cloth,
    lovingly embroidered by the women of Jerusalem.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Its posts/[lit. things-like-pillars] were-laid with silver and its cover was-embroidered with gold. The cushion of the seat/thing-for-sitting was-covered/wrapped with purple cloth. The inside of the chariot was-made-beautiful by the women of Jerusalem.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The canopy that covered it was held up/supported by posts made of silver,
    and the back of the chair was embroidered with gold.
    The seat/cushion was covered with purple cloth
    lovingly made/woven by the women of Jerusalem.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Song of Songs 3:10

The description of the carriage continues.

He made its posts of silver: the sedan chair had four corner posts to support the roof or canopy. These were not made of solid silver but were of wood overlaid with silver (compare Exo 26.32). On the word silver see comments on 1.11.

Its back of gold: our difficulty here lies in the term back. The Hebrew noun occurs only here, though the root has already been used in 2.5 (“refresh me”). Its basic sense seems to be something that is spread out, perhaps a cloth. The Syriac translation has “its carpets.” Good News Translation suggests “cloth.” There is some support for a translation “bolster” or “pillow,” probably in the form of a head rest, as in New English Bible. On the other hand King James Version used “bottom,” and New American Bible uses “roof,” which is similar to Jerusalem Bible “canopy.” Snaith, however, states that there is no reason why the term should not refer to the solid “back” of a seat.

Given this wide variety of scholarly opinion, our solution will be to begin with the basic meaning of “spread” and translate back as “its base.” “Carpet” may be given as the footnote. If translators find this solution acceptable, then of gold will have to be translated “overlaid with gold.” If the decision is to use a term like “carpet” or “cloth,” then we shall have to say “embroidered with gold” or “… with threads of gold.”

Its seat of purple: seat here is a term also used for cushions (Lev 15.9 “saddle”), so either “seat” or “cushions” is acceptable. The adjective purple indicates that they are made from purple cloth, the royal fabric. Many languages will not have a word for purple. We can say “dark red” or perhaps add another adjective, “royal…” or “deep red.”

It was lovingly wrought within causes interpreters numerous difficulties. Literally the phrase is “its interior is fitted out [with] love.” Lovingly is a noun (“love”) in the Hebrew text but is treated as an adverb in the majority of translations; for example, Good News Translation “lovingly woven.” New Revised Standard Version uses the phrase “inlaid with love,” which is similar to New Jerusalem Bible, while Revised English Bible omits it altogether. Pope thinks the term “love” identifies love scenes painted on the interior walls of the carriage. Driver suggested that lovingly is related to an Arabic term meaning “leather” and New English Bible accepts this, saying “its lining was of leather.” Some other versions, including Jerusalem Bible have “ebony,” a dark wood, while New American Bible thinks it refers to “ivory.”

Wrought or “worked” is a Hebrew passive participle meaning “fit together,” “joined together,” “built.” It possibly means “fitted out” in the sense of being decorated. One commentator suggests “inlaid.”

Translation will inevitably be a problem with such wide and varied opinions. A footnote can indicate that the Hebrew text is difficult to understand, and offer another translation. We may wish to say “decorated with leather [or, ivory].” “Inlaid with love” is possible, though we consider it less likely.

We can say:

• Its interior was lovingly decorated.

• Love scenes decorated its interior.

We can also use the other option, but with a footnote:

• Its interior was decorated with ivory.*
Footnote: *Hebrew unclear; some versions read “with love.”

By the daughters of Jerusalem: this clause also causes many problems for interpreters. We are surprised to find the daughters of Jerusalem suddenly on the scene. Up till now, and indeed throughout the text, they serve more like observers rather than actors. We note that the word for daughters in the Hebrew text has a prefix, the preposition m-, translated as “by” in several versions (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible). Further we note that the printed Hebrew text places this phrase on a separate line, suggesting it may be connected to what follows in verse 11 rather than to what goes before.

There are several possible ways of dealing with the problem. We can follow the versions cited above, despite the rather awkward wording. This leaves us with a translation such as:

• Its interior was lovingly decorated by the women of Jerusalem.

Or, in active voice:

• The women of Jerusalem had decorated the inside with love scenes.

Another possibility, however, is to treat the m- as the last letter of the previous word “love”; in the text. This would change the word “love” to “ivory”; or possibly “ebony.” This last solution has the advantage of placing “daughters of Jerusalem” at the beginning of verse 11, forming a neat chiastic structure.

As noted above, daughters appears on a separate line in the Hebrew text, a fact which we believe supports this last analysis. The translator should choose one solution or the other and note the alternative in a footnote. We recommend either of the following:

• He made the posts of silver;
The curtains were embroidered in gold.
The cushion was deep purple,
And the interior was lovingly decorated
By the women of Jerusalem.

• He had the supports made in silver,
The back of the chair in gold.
The seat was a royal purple,
All inlaid in ivory.*

Daughters of Jerusalem, (11) come out ….
Footnote: * Hebrew obscure. Some versions have “decorated with love by the daughters of Jerusalem.”

Note that in this last proposal “daughters of Jerusalem” is placed in verse 11. To avoid confusion the two verses can be combined, that is, put under one numbering (10-11).

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Song of Songs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1998. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Song of Songs 3:10

3:10a

He has made its posts of silver: The phrase He has made probably implies that Solomon (the woman’s beloved) hired someone to make the silver posts. It probably does not indicate that Solomon himself made them. (In 3:10d–e, the Jerusalem women helped to make the interior of the carriage.) Some ways to indicate this are:

He had its posts made out of silver (God’s Word)
-or-
Its posts were made of silver (NET Bible)

posts of silver: The palanquin had four posts, one at each of its four corners. These four posts supported the roof (canopy) of the carriage. The posts were of silver. This phrase probably implies that the posts were made of wood that was overlaid with silver. For example:

He overlaid its posts with silver
-or-
Its posts are covered with silver (Good News Translation)

3:10b

its base of gold: The phrase its base of gold indicates that the base of the carriage was made of gold or gold cloth. The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as base occurs only here in the OT, and its meaning is uncertain. There are three ways to interpret it here:

(1) It means “the back of (a) chair,” as in the ancient Greek and Latin versions. For example:

its back was made of gold. (NET Bible)

(2) It means “cover,” as in the ancient Syriac version. For example:

the canopy of gold (New Jerusalem Bible)

(3) It means “base” or “foundation.” For example:

its base of gold. (New International Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) or (2). The exact meaning is uncertain, but both interpretations make good sense. The main point is the luxurious nature of the materials used.

of gold: The phrase of gold tells what the back of the palanquin was made of. Gold was the most valuable of all metals. Some scholars suggest that fabric made of gold thread was used. This material was sometimes used by kings, queens, and other members of their families. The poetic description of the palanquin implies that it was magnificent. Other ways to translate 3:10b are:

the back is gold (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
he made its base of gold.

3:10c

its seat of purple fabric: Here the author continues to describe the palanquin and how it was made. The phrase its seat refers to the chair or to the cushion (or cushions) inside the palanquin where the rider sat. The phrase of purple fabric indicates that the seat was made of purple cloth. Purple cloth was expensive, and it was often worn by kings. It was also used in the Temple and in the king’s palace.

If this information about purple cloth is not known in your area, it may be helpful to make it explicit in some way. For example:

Its cushions were covered with ⌊rare⌋ purple cloth.
-or-
The seat was made of ⌊expensive⌋ purple fabric.

In some languages the color purple is not known or implies a wrong meaning, such as mourning or danger. If that is true in your language, you may translate the meaning without mentioning the color. For example:

The seat cushions were covered with expensive cloth.
-or-
The cloth of its cushion was dyed with the color ⌊that kings wear⌋.

3:10d

Its interior is inlaid with love by the daughters of Jerusalem: Scholars are uncertain about whether the phrase daughters of Jerusalem is connected with 3:10d or with 3:11a–b. The Notes connects the phrase with 3:10d and gives details later in 3:10d.

There are two main ways to interpret the phrase inlaid with love :

(1) It describes the manner in which the palanquin’s interior was decorated. It was done lovingly and carefully. For example:

its interior lovingly inlaid (New International Version)

(2) It describes the material that was used to decorate the interior. For example:

fitted out with leather (NET Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). This option has the most support from English versions. The manner, “lovingly,” is an appropriate way to interpret the Hebrew word used about the women’s actions, since the Song is poetry about love. Some other ways to translate this interpretation are:

The women in Jerusalem carefully decorated its interior because of their love ⌊for the bride and groom⌋.
-or-
The beautiful weavings inside the palanquin were lovingly made by the women of Jerusalem.

by the daughters of Jerusalem: Scholars differ about whether this phrase should be part of 3:10 or part of 3:11:

(1) It is part of 3:10. It tells who decorated the inside of the palanquin. For example:

its interior was inlaid with love by the daughters of Jerusalem. (English Standard Version)

(2) It is part of 3:11. It is a direct address to the daughters of Jerusalem. This arrangement makes it part of a parallel chiasm (a-b-b’-a’) with the following phrase. For example, the New Revised Standard Version says:

Daughters of Jerusalem, come out. (a-b)

Look, O daughters of Zion… (b’-a’)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English versions and many Bible scholars. Another way to translate this meaning is:

10a-c He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, and its seat of purple cloth, 10d and the daughters of Jerusalem decorated its interior with loving care.

General Comment on 3:10

It is difficult to know exactly what the carriage looked like from the description in 3:10, because the meanings of several of the words are uncertain. However, it is certain that the carriage was made of the finest materials: cedar from Lebanon, silver, gold, and purple cloth. The women of Jerusalem decorated its interior with loving care. It was a beautiful, luxurious vehicle for bringing the bride to her waiting groom.

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