grain

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “grain” (or: “corn”) is translated in Kui as “(unthreshed) rice.” Helen Evans (in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) explains: “Padddy [unthreshed rice] is the main crop of the country and rice the staple diet of the people, besides which [grain] is unknown and there is no word for it, and it seemed to us that paddy and rice in the mind of the Kui people stood for all that corn meant to the Jews.” “Paddy” is also the translation in Pa’o Karen (source: Gordon Luce in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 153f. ).

Other translations include: “wheat” (Teutila Cuicatec), “corn” (Lalana Chinantec), “things to eat” (Morelos Nahuatl), “grass corn” (wheat) (Chichimeca-Jonaz) (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), or ntimumma lujia / “seeds for food” (Lokạạ — “since Lokạạ does not have specific terms for maize and rice that can be described as grains”) (source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

complete verse (Genesis 45:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 45:23:

  • Kankanaey: “What he also sent-via-others for his father was ten donkeys loaded with the best possessions in Egipto and ten additional (lit. again) donkeys that were young-females that were loaded with wheat, bread, and other food that they would need on the trail.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “For his own father he sent ten donkeys [with] all kinds of good things from Egypt, ten donkeys [with] grain and bread as well as various kinds of other food to eat along the way.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He also sent his father 10 donkeys loaded with the best products of Egipto, and 10 female donkeys loaded with grain/wheat, bread and provisions for his father for the journey.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “And this is what he sent to his father: Ten male donkeys, loaded with some of the best goods that come from Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other food for his father’s trip to Egypt.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 45:23

To his father he sent as follows: that is, “These are the things Joseph sent to his father” or “This is what he sent to his father.” See Good News Translation.

Ten asses loaded with the good things of Egypt: asses is the general word for “donkey” here, although she-asses in the next clause refers to females. In languages that must distinguish between the genders of animals, or which find it best to do so in this context, where one group is designated as female, we may say “ten male donkeys.”

Good things of Egypt: these are gifts, but there is no way to know what they are, and so it may be best to refer to them as “some of the best gifts from Egypt” or “some of the best goods made in Egypt.”

For she-asses see 12.16. Note that Good News Translation does not distinguish the female donkeys from the male donkeys. However, the female donkey is of greater value than the male donkey, because it reproduces young ones by mating either with a male donkey or with a male horse. The female donkeys are sent as a special gift to Jacob, carrying the food he will need on his journey to Egypt. If the language of translation distinguishes the male from the female, it may be advisable in this context to do so.

Grain, bread, and provision: see 42.25.

For his father on the journey: journey refers to the trip from Canaan to Egypt. We may translate, for example, “for his father when he will [or, would] travel to Egypt.”

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 .