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.

complete verse (Galatians 4:27)

Following are a number of back-translations of Galatians 4:27:

  • Uma: “This is like the words of the Holy Book that say: "You (sing.) are glad [emp], barren woman, who has not ever given-birth! Be glad and hoot ("halelo’" [from excitement or joy], you who have not one time suffered birthing a child. Because even though you (sing.) are barren, the number of your (sing.) descendants will be more than those of the woman who had-children to start with." We, relatives, are the ones who have become the children of God, according to God’s promise. We are like Ishak, the child of Abraham who was born according to God’s promise.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “It is written hep in the holy-book saying, ‘Be glad woman, even if you have not given birth. Shout with your joy even though you have not felt the pain (‘of childbirth’ is understood). Because the descendants of the woman left by her husband will be very many more than the descendants of the woman who has her husband.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There’s a written word of God which says, ‘As for you, woman who does not give birth, rejoice. Even though you never had labor pains, shout with joy because even though your husband has abandoned you, He will return to you and you have more descendants than the woman who has a husband.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because there is that which God caused-to-be-written which says, ‘You (sing.) who are barren who have never undergone-hardship to bear-children, be happy. Raise moreover your (sing.) voice (lit. make-strong your (sing.) speech) to make-known your (sing.) happiness. Because you (sing.) who have been left by your (sing.) husband, you (sing.) will have more children in-the-future than the woman whose husband is staying-with-her.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “This is like that which is written in the writing which says, ‘Be happy, you woman who does not give birth. You who have not experienced childbirth even once, shout out now your happiness. Because even though you have been divorced by your husband, your children will be even more numerous than hers who has not been divorced by her husband.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “It is written in the Holy Book, ‘Be happy you barren one, you have never given birth. Shout because you are happy even though you have not experienced giving birth. Because the woman who is barren and has been left by her husband, will have more children than the woman who lives with her husband.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Galatians 4:27

Paul further supports his concept of two Jerusalems with a quotation from the Old Testament, specifically Isaiah 54.1 quoted from the Septuagint. The quotation has some slight variations from the Hebrew text, but the translator should translate the quotation as Paul has it and not the way it may appear in the Old Testament.

This Old Testament passage of scripture reflects the time that the Jews were in exile in Babylon, away from their homeland. In this passage Jerusalem is viewed in two ways: (1) Jerusalem without its inhabitants, and therefore desolate, is represented as a childless woman (literally “barren one,” that is, incapable of bearing children), while (2) Jerusalem before the exile is represented as a woman whose husband never left her. The “barren” or childless woman is exhorted to be happy and to shout and cry with joy (literally “break forth and shout,” which calls for glad and loud exclamations). The first two lines of the prophecy are parallel to each other, and therefore the “barren” woman is the same as the one who never felt the pains of childbirth. The idea of having more children refers to the hoped for and expected return of the exiles from captivity.

In a number of languages it is necessary to identify who is being spoken to before a command can be given. Therefore, it may be necessary to alter the order in the first two lines of the scripture quotation so as to read “You woman, who has never had children, be happy! You who never had the pain of childbirth, shout and cry for joy!” In some languages, however, this kind of translation might suggest that two different women are being addressed. Since the two parallel lines obviously refer to the same person and the same experience, it may be more appropriate in some languages to translate “You women who have never had children and have never felt the pain of giving birth to children, be happy, shout and exclaim with joy!”

In citing this passage from Isaiah, it is quite possible that Paul is referring to Sarah when he speaks of the barren woman and to Hagar when he speaks of the woman whose husband never left her. It is more likely, however, that the barren woman refers to the heavenly Jerusalem, and the woman with a husband to the present city of Jerusalem. The idea of having more children is perhaps best interpreted to refer not simply to the entrance of both Jews and Gentiles into the fellowship of the church, but primarily in terms of the more desired gifts of freedom and of becoming children of God. The woman who was deserted may be rendered as “the woman whose husband had abandoned her.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .