brother (older brother)

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “brother” in English is translated in Kwere as sekulu and in Mandarin Chinese as gēgē (哥哥), both “older brother.”

Note that Kwere also uses lumbu — “older sibling” in some cases. (Source for Kwere: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

hair (body hair)

The Hebrew that is translated as “hair” in English (relating to body hair is translated in Kwere as upipi — a word indicating small hairs. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See also (human) head hair and hairy (like Esau).

hairy (like Esau)

The Hebrew word that is translated into English as “hairy” is translated in Idoma as “has much body hair.” Idoma has distinct terms for head and body hair and since in Idoma culture it is not possible to refer to someone as not having hair at all, Esau needs to be distinguished as having “much hair.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also hairy (body hair) and (human) head hair.

Jacob

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Jacob” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign that signifies “lentil,” referring to the soup he gave his brother in exchange for his birthright (see Genesis 25:34). Note that another Spanish Sign Language sign for Jacob also users the sign for Jewish. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Jacob” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is a sign that shows the touching of the hip, described in Genesis 32:25:


“Jacob” in German Sign Language (source: Taub und katholisch )

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the signs signifying “smooth arm” (referring to the story starting at Genesis 27:11). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Jacob” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

See also Esau.

complete verse (Genesis 27:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 27:11:

  • Kankanaey: “Whereupon Jacob said, ‘Yes all-right, but Esau, he is hairy. As for me, my skin is smooth (lit. clean).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Jacob said — ‘Esau’s whole body has hair. I, however, have no hair.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But Jacob said to his mother, ‘You know that Esau is hairy and I on-the-other-hand am not.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, ‘But my brother Esau’s skin has hair all over it, and my skin is not like that! My skin is smooth!” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 27:11

But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother: But translates the Hebrew connective, which signals here an objection or raises a question regarding Rebekah’s plan. Many translations do not repeat Rebekah’s name, because it is clear who Jacob’s mother is. In some languages it is more natural to make mother the beginning of Jacob’s speech: “Look, mother, ….”

Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man: Behold serves to call Rebekah’s attention to a fact that both know and must now recognize. Good News Translation translates “You know that….” We may also translate, for example, “We know that…” or “Everybody knows that….” For my brother see comments on Gen 27.6. Hairy man refers to Esau’s skin being covered with hair. See 25.25. Some languages distinguish between hair that grows on the skin and hair that grows on the head. In some cases we may say, for example, “Esau’s skin is covered with hair” or “Esau has hair all over his body.”

Smooth man is ambiguous in English. Good News Translation and others say “smooth skin” or “My skin is smooth.” If there is not an idiomatic way of describing skin with little or no hair, a descriptive phrase may be needed; for example, “but I have a clean skin with no hair” or “but I don’t have hairy skin.” In a good many languages the most natural way of expressing this whole contrast is to use just a negative in the second part: “Esau has a lot of hair on his skin but I don’t.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .