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 (Genesis 31:27)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 31:27:

  • Newari: “Why did you trick me by running away without saying anything to me? If you would have told me, I would surely have sent you off rejoicing, playing the tambourine and lyre, and singing songs.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Why did- you (sing.) -deceive me and you (pl.) walked-away without asking-permission from me? If you (pl.) had- just -said, I would-have sent- you (pl.) -off with joyful music of a tambourine and harp.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Why did you run away and deceive me? Why did you not tell me that you were going to leave, so that we could have rejoiced and sung while people played music on tambourines and harps before I said ‘goodbye’ to you?” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 31:27

To emphasize his point Laban repeats his question in slightly different form.

Why did you flee secretly…?: for flee see verses 20, 21, and 22. Secretly means “without telling anyone.”

Cheat me translates the verb “stole” as in verse 26, but it is not used in the idiomatic expression as there. The sense is, however, to “deceive,” “dupe,” or “trick.”

So that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs: Laban claims he would have given a farewell party if Jacob had not gone off without telling him. We may restructure this statement to say, for example, “If you had not gone like that, I would have sent you off with…,” or “If you…, I would have given a farewell feast with….” To avoid the contrary-to-fact condition, we may say something like “I wanted to send you off with…, but I could not because you….” In many languages the celebration feast given at the departure of the bride for her husband’s village has a special name. In societies in which husbands move to the bride’s family, a special note may be required. If the note is given only once, it may be better to place it at 24.58.

In some languages the construction sent you away with … is not natural and must be replaced with something like “I would have called in the people who play … and made a feast to send you off in the proper way.”

With mirth and songs: mirth translates a word meaning “gladness,” “rejoicing,” “gaiety.” The word expresses the sort of rejoicing experienced and expressed in a happy celebration. Songs in this context refers to songs or singing accompanied by the tambourine and lyre. Tambourine translates the Hebrew word tof, which is a type of small hand-held drum. Sound is produced by holding the instrument in one hand and striking the skin head with the palm or fingers of the other hand. The lyre is a stringed instrument similar to a harp. For further information and illustrations, see 4.21.

In translation it is often possible to use local equivalent instruments such as bells and guitar. Translators should note that Laban is not calling attention to the nature of these instruments. If no equivalent instruments are known, it may be best to say, for example, “I would have given a farewell feast with lots of fun, and singing with musical instruments.”

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 .