joy

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The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is translated with “joy” or “gladness” in English is translated with various associations of “sweetness” or taste: Bambara has “the spirit is made sweet,” Kpelle translates as “sweet heart,” and Tzeltal as “the good taste of one’s heart,” Uduk uses the phrase “good to the stomach,” Baoulé “a song in the stomach,” Mískito “the liver is wide open” (“happily letting the pleasures flooding in upon it”) (source: Nida 1952), Mairasi says “good liver” (source: Enggavoter 2004), Noongar has koort-kwabba-djil or “heart very good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), and 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 1 Kings 1:40

Went up after him is translated “they followed Solomon back to Jerusalem” by Contemporary English Version (similarly New Living Translation).

Pipes were instruments made of wood, ivory or bone and containing a reed that made a soft, breathy, nasal sound when the players blew on them. The term is usually translated “flute” by Revised Standard Version (for example, 1 Sam 10.5; Isa 5.12; Jer 48.36). “Flutes” is probably the best translation here since it is preferred by Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and others, as well as Good News Translation.

The Septuagint reads “performing dances” instead of playing on pipes, and this text is followed in a few translations; for example, Moffatt has “dancing.” The Greek reading, however, seems to be the result of a misreading of the Hebrew and should not be followed.

Rejoicing with great joy translates a Hebrew expression made up of two words having the same root to make a strong statement. In many languages it may be better to translate it with an adverb; for example, “rejoicing greatly” or “rejoicing strongly.”

The earth was split by their voice: This is figurative language that gives emphasis to the great sound of the people’s celebration. In some languages it will be appropriate to look for a different figure that will sound more natural. For example, some languages may prefer to say “it sounded like thunder” or something similar. Even in English, several translations say that “the ground shook” (New International Version, New Century Version, Contemporary English Version) rather than indicating that it split. Knox uses a slightly different image: “earth echoed again with the noise of it.” The Hebrew noun translated earth is sometimes used to refer to the “country” or “land” of Israel, but here the reference seems to be to the ground or the earth.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .