myrrh

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “myrrh” in English is translated as “bitter medicine” in Michoacán Nahuatl and as “myrrh perfume” in Tzotzil (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.).

In Mark 15:23, Usila Chinantec translates it as “the herb myrrh which is useful so that one not feel pain in his body. (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

See also mixture of myrrh with aloes.

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 3 Maccabees 4:6

And young women who had just entered the bridal chamber to share married life exchanged joy for wailing: Emphasis is placed here on another particularly pathetic group: Jewish women who just got married. Contemporary English Version has an excellent model here, saying “and young women who had just been married stopped singing joyful songs and moaned in sadness.” For bridal chamber, see 3 Macc 1.19.

Their myrrh-perfumed hair sprinkled with ashes: These young brides had perfumed their hair, but now they had ashes on their heads as a sign of distress. Myrrh was a sweet-smelling powder that was highly prized. It was used in perfumes, served as a medicine, and was used in preparing bodies for burial. It comes from the sap of the myrrh bush. In cultures where this plant is unknown, myrrh-perfumed hair may be rendered “sweet-smelling hair” (Contemporary English Version).

And were carried away unveiled: These brides would have worn a veil for the wedding, but that was now torn away from them.

All together raising a lament instead of a wedding song may be expressed as “instead of singing a wedding song, they all cried loudly.”

As they were torn by the harsh treatment of the heathen: The Revised Standard Version footnote here is mistaken. Not “One ancient authority” but several read “as though torn by heathen whelps.” Actually this reading could mean “as they were torn by heathen whelps.” “Whelps” are young animals, particularly dogs. Contemporary English Version‘s footnote states that the alternative reading is “as if the Greek officers had beaten them with whips,” but Contemporary English Version misunderstands the English word “whelps” in Revised Standard Version‘s footnote. We suggest following Revised Standard Version here, but without a footnote. The Greek word for heathen refers to non-Jews. The word heathen has a very derogatory connotation in English; the Greek word here is more neutral, but in this context, heathen is appropriate. Translators may simply say “people” or “soldiers.”

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• There were happy young brides who suddenly began wailing. Instead of singing wedding music, they all were moaning [or, crying loudly], as the soldiers led them away. They had sprinkled ashes in their perfumed hair, with their veils ripped off. And their skin was torn by the cruel treatment of the heathen.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 3-4 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2018. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.