dove, pigeon

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “dove” or “pigeon” in English is translated in Pijin with the onomatopoeia kurrukurru. (Source: Bob Carter)

complete verse (Genesis 8:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 8:9:

  • Kankanaey: “but since the earth was still flooded and it found no landing-place for itself, it returned to the ark. Noe stretched-out his hand so-that that’s where- the dove -would-land and brought-it-in again.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Having no place to go because there was only water of water on the earth, the dove returned to the ship. Putting out his hand, Noah caught the dove and took it into the ship.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “but the dove has no place-to-perch because the whole earth was still covered by water. So the dove just went-back to Noe in the ship. Noe caused/let- the dove -to-perch/land on his hand and caused- (it) -to-enter the ship.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But the dove did not find any place to perch, so it flew back to Noah in the boat, because there was still water all over the surface of the earth. So Noah reached out his hand and took the dove back inside the boat.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 8:9

But renders the common Hebrew connective indicating a contrast between what was expected and what resulted.

Found no place to set her foot is literally “to rest the sole of her foot.” Dove is grammatically feminine in Hebrew, and so Revised Standard Version refers to her foot. In translation it is not necessary to say “a female dove” unless the language requires it. This somewhat poetic expression means “the dove found no place to light” (Good News Translation). And she returned to him to the ark is the consequence of finding no place to light.

For the waters were still on the face of the whole earth is an expansion of the reason why the dove returned to the boat. Good News Translation restructures verse 9 so that the reason, “but since the water still covered all the land,” is given first, followed by the consequence, “the dove did not find a place to light.” Good News Translation then continues with a second consequence: “It flew back to the boat.” Translators may find this model satisfactory.

So he put forth his hand and took her pictures the dove lighting on Noah’s outstretched hand and Noah taking the dove into the boat. In some languages this picture will have to be expressed in more detail than is given in the Hebrew and Revised Standard Version; for example, one recent translation has “Noah put his hand outside the window and the dove landed on it; then Noah brought it inside the boat again.”

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 .