Judah, Judea

The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)


“Judah” and “Judea” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

See also Judah.

king

Click here to view graphically

Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

(Click or tap here to see details)

  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 25:18

And Joash the king of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah: Since Joash and Amaziah have already been identified in the previous verse as king of Israel and king of Judah, some versions omit the full identification here for reasons of style in the receptor language (so Good News Translation, Bible en français courant). In view of the context, sent word may be better translated “sent a return message,” “answered with the following message,” or “sent back this answer” (Revised English Bible). But since the response is in the form of a parable, some translators may prefer “responded with the following story.” For this whole clause New Living Translation has “But King Jehoash of Israel replied to King Amaziah of Judah with this story.”

Contemporary English Version begins the parable of King Jehoash with the words “Once upon a time,” clearly indicating to English readers that the story which is being introduced is fictional. Other languages have similar introductory expressions that could be used here to inform the reader or hearer of the nature of the story that follows.

A thistle on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon: The contrast between a thistle and a cedar could hardly be more striking. The cedar was considered the most admirable of all the trees in the world (see the comments on 1 Chr 14.1). On the other hand, the thistle was considered a bothersome bush. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word for thistle usually refers to a thornbush (so Good News Translation, Bible en français courant). For a good description of this bush see the discussion in FFB, pages 184-186|fig:ffb_thorn.htm, and PTB, pages 174-176|fig:PTB.6.2.1.Thistles.174-176.html. Here the weakness of the thistle is contrasted negatively with the strength of the cedar. Jehoash likens himself to the cedar tree and Amaziah to the thornbush. The aim of the story is to point out to Amaziah that he should not overestimate his importance by considering himself on equal footing with Jehoash.

On Lebanon may be understood to mean either “in Lebanon” (that is, in the country called Lebanon; so New International Version) or “on the Lebanon Mountains” (Good News Translation; similarly Bible en français courant). The latter meaning is more likely since the most striking characteristic of Lebanon is its majestic mountains (see the comments on 2 Chr 2.8).

Sent to a cedar means “sent a message to a cedar” (Good News Translation).

Give your daughter to my son for a wife: This embedded quotation of what the thornbush said to the cedar tree should probably be made indirect in some languages in order to avoid the problem of multilevel quotations. One possible model for this is to say “A thornbush on Mount Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree on Mount Lebanon proposing the marriage of his son to the daughter of the cedar tree.”

And a wild beast of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle: The conjunction and at the beginning of this sentence may be better translated “but” (New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible) in some languages because the story takes an unexpected turn at this point. A wild beast of Lebanon refers to Jehoash. The Hebrew expression for a wild beast is a general one referring to an untamed animal normally living apart from human beings. A more literal rendering is “a living being of the open field.” But it will be more natural in many languages to say simply “a wild animal” (so Good News Translation). Good News Translation leaves implied the words of Lebanon since the place name was already introduced earlier in this verse.

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 .