The Hebrew poetry in 2 Kings 19:21-24 is translated by the GermanGute Nachricht Bibel (last rev. 2018) in poetic form:
Die unbesiegte Zionsstadt
nur Spott und Verachtung für dich hat!
Die Jungfrau Zion lacht dich aus,
die Zunge streckt sie dir heraus.
Mit wem hast du dich eingelassen,
gegen wen, du Narr, dich aufgeblasen?
Mich, den heiligen Gott Israels, kennst du nicht,
und doch schmähst du und höhnst du mir ins Gesicht!
Wahrhaftig, du warst schlecht beraten,
als du so prahltest mit deinen Taten.
Durch Boten ließest du überall sagen:
Ich bin der Herr! Ich bestieg meinen Wagen,
hoch auf den Libanon fuhr ich im Trab,
die Tannen und Zedern dort holzte ich ab,
all seine Schlupfwinkel spürte ich auf
und nie kam ins Stocken mein Siegeslauf!
Ich grub mir Brunnen mit eigener Hand,
so schafft’ ich mir Wasser im Feindesland.
Ich trockne sie aus, die ägyptischen Flüsse,
sie müssen versiegen vom Tritt meiner Füße!
Literal translation:
“The undefeated city of Zion
has only ridicule and contempt for you!
The Virgin Zion laughs at you,
she sticks her tongue out at you.
Who did you get involved with
against whom, you fool, have you puffed yourself up?
You do not know me, the holy God of Israel,
and yet you revile and mock me in my face!
Truly, you were ill-advised,
when you boasted about your deeds.
Through messengers you sent word everywhere:
I am the Lord! I got into my chariot,
I rode up to Lebanon at a trot,
I cut down the firs and cedars there,
I tracked down all the hiding places
and my victorious run never faltered!
I dug wells with my own hands,
This is how I create water for myself in enemy territory.
I’ll dry them up, the Egyptian rivers,
they must cease from the tread of my feet!”
While the syllable count of the lines varies, the rhyming pattern is AA-BB-AA-BB.
The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Cain” in English is transliterated as Kaḭ in Ngambay. In a translatory coincidence Kaḭ is very similar to the Ngambay word kain or “to flee” which is what Cain does according to Genesis 4:14. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
In the Protestant tradition of Mandarin Chinese it is transliterated as Gāiyǐn (该隐) which can be understood as “should hide” or “should be hidden.” (Source: Zetzsche)
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign that signifies “bad.” (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
The Hebrew poetry in 2 Kings 19:25-28 is translated by the GermanGute Nachricht Bibel (last rev. 2018) in poetic form:
So prahlst du. Hör zu jetzt und lass es dir sagen:
Ich hab’s so beschlossen seit uralten Tagen;
ich hab es geplant, was jetzt ist geschehen,
drum mussten die Städte zugrunde gehen.
Nichts ist davon übrig als Trümmer nur,
von ihren Bewohnern blieb keine Spur.
Der Mut, sich zu wehren, war ihnen entfallen,
verschwunden die Kraft, drum erging’s ihnen allen
wie Gras an einem trocknen Ort;
es sprießt – und schon ist es verdorrt.
Ich hab auch dich ganz fest in der Hand,
was immer du tust, ist mir vorher bekannt,
ob du stehst, liegst, kommst, gehst – alles sehe ich,
ich weiß genau, wie du tobst gegen mich.
Weil mir dein Geschwätz in die Ohren dringt,
schmück ich dir die Nase mit einem eisernen Ring,
ich lege dir meinen Zaum in das Maul
und zwing dich wie einen störrischen Gaul.
Den Weg, den du Prahlhans gekommen bist,
den bring ich zurück dich in kürzester Frist!
Literal translation:
“This is how you brag. Now listen and let me tell you:
I have decided this way since ancient times;
I planned for what happened now
therefore the cities had to perish.
Nothing is left of it but rubble,
no trace of its inhabitants remained.
They had lost the courage to defend themselves,
the strength disappeared, and that’s what happened to them all
like grass in a dry place;
it sprouts -– and then it withers.
I also have you firmly in my hand,
whatever you do is known to me beforehand,
whether you stand, lie, come, go — I see everything,
I know exactly how you rage against me.
Because your chatter gets into my ears,
I’ll decorate your nose with an iron ring,
I’ll put my bridle in your mouth
and force yourself like a stubborn horse.
The way you came as a braggard
is the way I’ll take you back as soon as possible!”
While the syllable count of the lines varies, the rhyming pattern is AA-BB-AA-BB (except for the first line).
The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is transliterated as “Gomorrah” in English is transliterated in Mandarin Chinese as émólā (蛾摩拉) in the Protestant tradition. This is an interesting transliteration because the first character é (蛾) has a negative connotation with the meaning of “moth.” This character is only used here in the Protestant Chinese Bible. For many other transliterations the more neutral character 俄 with the same pronunciation is used. (Source: Zetzsche)
The Hebrew poetry in Jeremiah 9:20 is translated by the GermanGute Nachricht Bibel (last rev. 2018) in poetic form:
»Durch die Fenster kam der Tod herein,
keins der Häuser hat er ausgelassen.
Unsere Kinder holt er auf den Straßen,
Burschen sammelt er vom Marktplatz ein.«
Literal translation:
“Death came in through the windows,
It didn’t miss any of the houses.
It takes our children from the streets,
It collects boys from the marketplace.”
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “nurse” in English is translated in German as stillen or “to quiet.”
The das Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022) and the BasisBibel (publ. 2021) also use the same verb in Psalm 131:2 (for this choice, see here).
The Greek that is translated as “famished” or similar in English is translated in the Kölsch translation (publ. 2017) as singe Mage hät geknottert wie ne Hungk or “his stomach growled like a dog.” (Source: Jost Zetzsche)
