sycamore, sycomore

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “sycamore” in English is translated in Chichewa as mkuyu or “fig tree.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 72)

Note that the tree referred to in these instances is the “Sycomore Fig (Ficus sycomorus), also called the “Mulberry Fig” (compare German Maulbeerfeigenbaum), is a type of fig that is found especially in low-land areas in the Mediterranean region. It was known in Egypt as early as 3000 B.C. but also in the Indus Valley in India. (…) The sycomore fig is not a tall tree (up to 10 meters [33 feet]) but has large low, spreading branches.” (Source: Koops 2012, p. 67)

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

king

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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:

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  • 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 9:27

And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone: The book of Deuteronomy warns the Israelite people that when they one day would have a king, the king was not to become rich with silver and gold (Deut 17.17). See also the comments on verse 28, which show that Solomon also violated the law of Deut 17.16. Although verses 27-28 underline the great wealth and power of Solomon, the original readers, who were familiar with the teachings of Deuteronomy, would have seen the implicit criticism in these verses. Translators may wish to add a footnote explaining this fact. The meaning of this clause may be communicated in a variety of other ways, including “While Solomon was king, there was silver everywhere in Jerusalem” (Contemporary English Version) and “Thanks to the king, there was as much silver in Jerusalem as there were stones” (Parole de Vie).

And cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah: Cedar and sycamore are types of trees. For cedar see 1 Chr 14.1; for sycamore see 1 Chr 27.28. Cedar was imported and was expensive. Sycamore trees, on the other hand, were common in the lowlands to the west of Jerusalem. The meaning of this clause is that Solomon had so much wealth that he was able to import large quantities of cedar timber for building, and as a result cedar wood was as common in Jerusalem as the wood of the native sycamore tree, which was not considered very good for building. The text does not mean that Solomon imported and planted cedar trees. He imported cedar lumber/timber. An American Translation says “he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees,” but the word “cedars” in the plural in English will not refer to timber but to trees, which is wrong here.

Shephelah, which is a transliteration of the Hebrew noun here, refers to the foothills in the territory of Judah, west of the mountains and east of the Mediterranean seacoast (see the comments on 1 Chr 27.28 and 2 Chr 1.15). Instead of the transliterated term Shephelah, it is better to say “foothills of Judah” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) or “western foothills” (Contemporary English Version).

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 .