happiness / joy

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the Hausa Common Language Ajami Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.

Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also Seat of the Mind / Seat of Emotions, rejoiced greatly / celebrated, the Mossi translation of “righteous”, and joy.

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.

complete verse (Acts 8:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 8:8:

  • Uma: “That is why those Samaria people were very glad to receive Filipus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore the people of that town were very happy.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the Samarians were very happy.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore the residents there were made-happy.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore they were very happy, the people of that city.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 8:8

The phrase “in that city” is taken to mean the city of Samaria by the Good News Translation, so there was great joy in Samaria. In many languages, however, one cannot simply speak of “there being joy.” Rather, it is people who must experience joy. Therefore, one must translates as “the people in Samaria were very joyful” or “the people in Samaria were glad in their hearts.”

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 .