sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, 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)

Translation commentary on Wisdom 19:7

The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp: See Num 9.15-18. Good News Translation does well to express this in the active with “They saw the cloud over their camp.” Good News Translation, however, does not represent the word overshadowing. It can be understood from the Good News Translation rendering, but the word does add to the effect. It was not a small cloud that they happened to see above them. It was an inescapable presence overshadowing them. So translators may say “They saw the cloud overshadowing [or, hanging over] their camp [or, their tents].”

And dry land emerging where water had stood before: See Exo 14.21-22. This is a second thing that was seen. Good News Translation does not represent the word emerging. Once again the idea can be understood in Good News Translation, but using it increases the vividness of the picture: the Israelites looked on wide-eyed as the water parted and dry land emerged. It could be expressed “and the waters dividing to reveal dry land.” This would actually make a better lead-in to the next lines.

An unhindered way out of the Red Sea, and a grassy plain out of the raging waves: Nothing is said in the Exodus narrative about what the dry land that emerged actually looked like. Jewish legend spoke of a paved road surrounded by fruit trees, with the air scented by sweet spices (quoted by Reider and Winston). It is also suggested that the writer is talking about vegetation actually at the bottom of the sea, as described by the Roman writer Pliny the Elder (quoted by Winston). With a slight modification, the Good News Translation translation of these two lines provides a useful model: “A grass-covered plain appeared between the stormy [or, raging] waves, making it easy for them to cross over [the Red Sea].”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Your people saw the cloud overshadowing [or, hanging over] their camp [or, their tents], and the waters of the Red Sea dividing to reveal dry land. A grass-covered plain appeared between the stormy [or, raging] waves of the sea, making it easy for them to cross over.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Wisdom of Solomon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2004. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.