The Hebrew that is translated into English with a phrase like “as soon as the morning was light” is translated with an existing idiom in Bari that says “as soon as the earth was split.”
Source: P. Guillebaud in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 189ff.
complete verse (Genesis 44:3)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 44:3:
- Kankanaey: “When it was then light (i.e., next day), the slave saw- the siblings -off (lit. caused-to-set-out) early, and they all left, including their donkeys.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Newari: “Early in the morning they were sent on their way with their donkeys.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “Very early-in-the-morning the next day, the siblings/(brothers) were-sent-away with their donkeys.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “The next morning at dawn the men started on the way home with their donkeys.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Translation commentary on Genesis 44:3
As soon as the morning was light: that is, “At the first light of morning” or “In the early dawn.”
Were sent away with their asses: it may be necessary to shift from the passive to an active construction; for example, “With the first light of morning, they sent the brothers on their way with their donkeys” or “When it was early morning Joseph’s servants sent them off with their donkeys, and they left.”
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 .
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