The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “love” in English is typically translated in Hakka Chinese as thung-siak / 痛惜 or “pain-love” when it refers to God’s love.
The same term is used for a variety of Hebrew terms that cover a range of English translations that refer to God as the agent, including “love,” “compassion,” and “mercy.”
Paul McLean explains: “[Thung-siak / 痛惜] has been used for many years in a popular Hakka-Christian mountain song based on John 3:16. The translation team decided that for this and other reasons it would be a good rendering here. It helps point to the fact that God’s ‘love’ is a compassionate (cum passio, with suffering) love.”
The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin terms that are typically translated as “mercy” (or “compassion” or “kindness”) in English are translated in various ways. Bratcher / Nida classify them in (1) those based on the quality of heart, or other psychological center, (2) those which introduce the concept of weeping or extreme sorrow, (3) those which involve willingness to look upon and recognize the condition of others, or (4) those which involve a variety of intense feelings.
While the Englishmercy originates from the Latinmerces, originally “price paid,” Romance languages (Italian, Spanish, Corsican, Catalan) and other Germanic languages (German, Swedish, Danish — Barmherzigkeit, barmhärtighet and barmhjertighed, respectively) tend to follow the Latin misericordia, lit. “misery-heart.”
The Hebrew that is translated as “steadfast love,” “lovingkindness” or similar in English is translated in Vidunda as “love of enduring.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
In Bura-Pabir it is translated as hyirkur na a palidzi wa or “love which cannot be-changed” and in the HausaCommon Language Ajami Bible as kaunarsa marar canjawa or “his love without changing.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
In Pijintinghevi long or “think heavy about” is used. “The Pijin expression ‘think heavy about’ is very much within the domain of committed relationships. The relationship between father and child, husband and wife, God and His people. There is a very strong element of ‘loyalty’ in this expression.” (Source: Bob Carter)
I will be his father, and he shall be my son: This language is often found in treaties between a sovereign king and a subordinate king. These concepts belong to the theme of the covenant and the promise of the Messiah. The divine adoption of the king assured the stability of the dynasty of David’s descendants and required loyalty by the king and his descendants (see Psa 2.7; 89.26-27). In the New Testament this verse is applied to the relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ (Heb 1.5) and to the relationship between God the Father and Christians (2 Cor 6.18). The Hebrew pronoun for I is emphatic here; compare “I, I shall be a father to him…” (Knoppers). The Hebrew pronoun for he is emphatic as well.
I will not take my steadfast love from him: For steadfast love, see the comments on 1 Chr 16.34. Moffatt and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy say “kindness.”
As I took it from him who was before you: This is an allusion to King Saul (see 1 Sam 15.28), as several functional equivalent translations make explicit (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, New Century Version, La Biblia: Traducción en Lenguaje Actual). However, since the author probably intentionally left out the name of Saul, some translators may prefer to put this information in a footnote rather than including the name of Saul in the text here.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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