joy

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The Greek, Latin, Ge’ez, and Hebrew that is translated with “joy” or “gladness” in English is translated with various strategies:

  • Baoulé: “a song in the stomach” (see also peace (inner peace))
  • Bambara: “the spirit is made sweet”
  • Kpelle: “sweet heart”
  • Tzeltal: “the good taste of one’s heart”
  • Uduk: “good to the stomach”
  • Mískito: “the liver is wide open” (“happily letting the pleasures flooding in upon it”) (source for this and above: Nida 1952)
  • Mairasi: “good liver” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Noongar: koort-kwabba-djil or “heart very good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “refreshed heart” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).

See also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling,” happiness / joy, and exceeding joy.

Translation commentary on Wisdom 8:16

When I enter my house, I shall find rest with her: This may refer to returning home, after being out among the people or at war (verse 15). Good News Translation could be understood as saying that Solomon has been away from Wisdom and is now coming back to her. But this is not the meaning! Vílchez translates “When I return home, I will rest at her side.” This is a good model, but it would also be good to name Wisdom here: “When I return home, I will rest at Wisdom’s side.”

For companionship with her has no bitterness, and life with her has no pain, but gladness and joy: Good News Translation combines these lines but the resulting translation is quite complicated. We suggest beginning a new sentence: “There is no conflict or pain in living with her, only happiness and joy” or “With her as my companion, there is no conflict or pain….”

This ends the thoughts of the young Solomon, and the quotation begun at the beginning of verse 10 ends here.

An alternative translation for this verse is:

• When I return home, I will rest at Wisdom’s side. With her as my companion, there is no conflict or pain, only happiness and joy.

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.