peace (inner peace)

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated into English as “peace” (or “at ease”) is (back-) translated with a variety of idioms and phrases:

In American Sign Language it is signed with a compound sign consisting of “become” and “silent.” (Source: Yates 2011, p. 52)


“Peace” in American Sign Language (source )

See also peace (absence of strife) and this devotion on YouVersion .

quietness

The interconfessional Chichewa translation (publ. 1999) uses the ideophone bata to describe complete quietness. (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 105)

Philip Noss (in The Bible Translator 1976, p. 100ff. ) explains the function of an ideophone: “The ideophone may be identified with onomatopoeia and other sound words frequently seen in French and English comic strips, but in [many] African languages it comprises a class of words with a very wide range of meaning and usage. They may function verbally, substantively, or in a modifying role similar to adverbs and adjectives. They describe anything that may be experienced: action, sound, color, quality, smell, or emotion. In oral literature they are used not only with great frequency but also with great creativity.”

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 2:29

The name of Abishur’s wife was Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid: Abishur was one of the sons of Shammai (verse 28), a grandson of Onam and great-grandson of Jerahmeel. The Revised Standard Version rendering for this verse reflects the order of the Hebrew, but it supplies the verb was, which is not in the original. Good News Translation restructures the verse, providing the verb “married” and translating she bore him as “they had.” Good News Translation also specifies “two sons” before naming them. Some of these changes may be useful in other languages, but it is certainly not necessary to follow Good News Translation in all of these changes.

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 .