Joel

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Joel” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language in two different ways. The first is with a sign depicting “Pentecost flame,” referring to Peter’s speech on Pentecost in which he quotes Joel in Acts 2:16 and following. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


First translation of “Joel” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

The second is with a sign for “grasshopper,” referring to Joel 1:4 and Joel 2:25.


Second translation of “Joel” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

See also locust (different kinds in Joel 1:4 and 2:25).

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with a sign that depicts to tear ones’ heart, referring to Joel 2:13.


“Joel” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

Following is a Russian Orthodox icon of Joel from the 18th century (found in the Transfiguration Church, Kizhi Monastery, Karelia, Russia).

 
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

complete verse (Acts 2:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:16:

  • Uma: “What has happened here, is the fulfillment of what the Lord God foretold ahead-of-time long ago, with the lips of Nabi Yoel, like this its sound:” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But this that you see now,’ he said, ‘has been foretold by Nabi Joel and now it is fulfilled. He said,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “This is what was prophesied long ago by the one inspired by God, Joel, because he said,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “What was-done to us (excl.) a short-while-ago, that was what Joel prophesied long ago saying,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “On the contrary, this which has happened today is the fulfilling of the written word of the prophet Joel, saying,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

prophet

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Eugene Nida wrote the following about the translation of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek terms that are typically translated with “prophet” in English:

“The tendency in many translations is to use ‘to foretell the future’ for ‘prophesy,’ and ‘one who foretells the future’ for ‘prophet.’ This is not always a recommended usage, particularly if such expressions denote certain special native practices of spirit contact and control. It is true, of course, that prophets of the Bible did foretell the future, but this was not always their principal function. One essential significance of the Greek word prophētēs is ‘one who speaks forth,’ principally, of course, as a forth-teller of the Divine will. A translation such as ‘spokesman for God’ may often be employed profitably.” (1947, p. 234f.)

Following is a list of (back-) translations from other languages (click or tap for details):

  • San Blas Kuna: “one who speaks the voice of God”
  • Central Pame and Vai: “interpreter for God”
  • Kaqchikel, Navajo, Yaka: “one who speaks for God”
  • Northern Grebo: “God’s town crier” (see more about this below)
  • Sapo: “God’s sent-word person”
  • Shipibo-Conibo, Ngäbere: “one who speaks God’s word”
  • Copainalá Zoque: “one who speaks-opens” (a compound meaning “one who discloses or reveals”)
  • Sierra Totonac: “one who causes them to know” (in the sense of “revealer”)
  • Batak Toba: “foreteller” (this and all the above acc. to Nida 1961, p. 7)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “one who is inspired of God” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Alekano: “the true man who descended from heaven” (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation June 1986, p. 36ff.)
  • Aguaruna: “teller of God’s word” (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125)
  • Ekari: “person who speaks under divine impulse”
  • Mandarin Chinese: 先知 xiānzhī — “one who foreknows” (or the 1946/1970 translation by Lü Zhenzhong: 神言人 shényánrén — “divine-word-man”)
  • Uab Meto: “holy spokesman” (source for this and two above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Kouya: Lagɔɔ gbʋgbanyɔ — “the one who seeks God’s affairs” (source: Saunders, p. 269)
  • Kafa: “decide for God only” (source: Loren Bliese)
  • Martu Wangka: “sit true to God’s talk” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “word passer” (source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation November 1964, p. 1-22)
  • Obolo: ebi nriran: “one with power of divine revelation” (source: Enene Enene)
  • Mairasi: nonondoai nyan: “message proclaimer” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Highland Totonac: “speaker on God’s behalf”
  • Central Tarahumara: “God’s preacher” (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Coatlán Mixe: “God’s word-thrower”
  • Ayutla Mixtec: “one who talks as God’s representative”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “speaker for God” (source for this and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Mezquital Otomi / Paasaal: “God’s messenger” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff. and Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)
  • Noongar: Warda Marridjiny or “News Traveling” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Kutu: mtula ndagu or “one who gives the prediction of the past and the future” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • French 1985 translation by Chouraqui: inspiré or “inspired one” (“someone in whom God has breathed [Latin: in + spiro]) (source: Watson 2023, p. 45)

In Ixcatlán Mazatec a term is used that specifically includes women. (Source: Robert Bascom)

About the translation into Northern Grebo:

“In some instances these spiritual terms result from adaptations reflecting the native life and culture. Among the Northern Grebo people of Liberia, a missionary wanted some adequate term for ‘prophet,’ and she was fully aware that the native word for ‘soothsayer’ or ‘diviner’ was no equivalent for the Biblical prophet who spoke forth for God. Of course, much of what the prophets said referred to the future, and though this was an essential part of much of their ministry, it was by no means all. The right word for the Gbeapo people would have to include something which would not only mean the foretelling of important events but the proclamation of truth as God’s representative among the people. At last the right word came; it was ‘God’s town-crier.’ Every morning and evening the official representative of the chief goes through the village crying out the news, delivering the orders of the chief, and announcing important coming events. ‘God’s town-crier’ would be the official representative of God, announcing to the people God’s doings, His commands, and His pronouncements for their salvation and well-being. For the Northern Grebo people the prophet is no weird person from forgotten times; he is as real as the human, moving message of the plowman Amos, who became God’s town-crier to a calloused people.” (source: Nida 1952, p. 20)

In American Sign Language it is a person who sees into the future:


“Prophet” in American Sign Language (source )

In British Sign Language it is is translated with a sign that depicts a message coming from God to a person (the upright finger) and then being passed on to others. (Source: Anna Smith)


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

See also prophesy and prophesy / prophetic frenzy.

Translation commentary on Acts 2:16

The quotation which is introduced in this verse, and which is given in the verses following, comes from Joel 2.28-32, and follows the Septuagint with some changes.

The total shift of viewpoint at the beginning of verse 16 should be made quite explicit. In English the word rather serves this function well, but in other languages it may be necessary to be even more explicit, for example, “you must think differently” or “the truth is very different.”

The pronoun this in the first clause must refer to the speaking in tongues and not to the presumed drunkenness. In many languages one must make this reference somewhat more specific, for example, “this that has happened” or even “this that you see and hear.”

Many languages require some supplementary verb of speaking to introduce direct discourse, for example, “spoke about, when he said,” while other languages never employ such doublets of speaking.

Though in English we may employ two different orders, the prophet Joel or “Joel the prophet,” in many languages only one order is regarded as correct for combining a proper noun (the name) and a function. More often than not, the proper name comes first and the function is treated as a qualifier, for example, “Joel, who was a prophet.” Prophet should focus attention on the fact that such a person “spoke for God” rather than on his function of foretelling the future. In other words, the focus is upon his function as a revealer of God’s will and word, rather than his role as a foreteller of the future.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .