wild animal

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated in English as “wild animal” or similar is translated in Newari as “animal that lives in the jungle.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)

skip

The Hebrew that is translated “skip” or similar in English is emphasized in Gbaya with the ideophone zaŋgule which can be added to the word for “jump” to express a “leap” or “skip.”

Philip Noss (in The Bible Translator 1976, p. 100ff. ) explains: “A descriptive device common to Gbaya oral literature that is often found in translations of the Psalms is the ideophone. The ideophone may be identified with onomatopoeia and other sound words frequently seen in French and English comic strips, but in Gbaya and other African languages it comprises a class of words with a very wide range of meaning and usage. They may function verbally, substantively, or in a modifying role similar to adverbs and adjectives. They describe anything that may be experienced: action, sound, color, quality, smell, or emotion. In oral literature they are used not only with great frequency but also with great creativity.

Conforming to Gbaya literary style, the team used ideophones in its translation of the Psalms, although an average of less than two per psalm is a considerably lower rate of occurrence than in Gbaya narrative. There were two reasons for this limited usage. The first was that the Psalms are poetry rather than action narrative where their occurrence would be more common. The second was that in a tale being performed for artistic reasons, the ideophone may predominate over the action, whereas in the psalm the ideophone must complement without dominating or overshadowing the message. However, since the ideophone is an integral part of Gbaya literary expression, it could not be omitted. To do so would have rendered the translation colorless and unliterary.”

Translation commentary on Isaiah 13:21

After Babylon’s people are gone, wild animals will occupy the city. There is a great deal of uncertainty about the identity of these animals in verses 21-22.

But wild beasts will lie down there contrasts with the previous line. Nomads will not let their flocks lie down among the ruins, but wild beasts will do so. The meaning of the Hebrew word translated wild beasts is uncertain. Several versions (Good News Translation, New International Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, New Jerusalem Bible) speak of animals of the desert. Revised English Bible has “marmots” and Bible en français courant “wild cats.” It is perhaps best to use a general expression, such as “wild animals [of the desert].”

And its houses will be full of howling creatures: The Hebrew noun rendered howling creatures occurs only here in the Old Testament, so its precise meaning is not certain. However, the context indicates that it is a wild animal of some kind. Many translations render it as “[hoot] owls” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant), some as “porcupines” (Revised English Bible) or “jackals” (New International Version). If the owl is unknown, then it is probably best to say “[screeching] birds.”

There ostriches will dwell: Ostriches are large birds that cannot fly. The Hebrew word here is rendered “desert-owls” in Revised English Bible and “owls” in New International Version. However, most other translations understand this rare noun to mean “ostrich” (see also Jer 50.39). In this context of abandoned buildings it is best to say “large owls”.

And there satyrs will dance: Satyrs are mythical animals that look like goats, so some translations say “[wild] goats” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible) or “he-goats” (Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). New Revised Standard Version suggests “goat-demons,” presumably in an attempt to convey the mythical nature of the satyr. We suggest saying “wild goats” here. The verb dance renders a Hebrew root that means “to skip about.”

Possible translation examples for this verse are:

• On the other hand, wild beasts will rest there. The city’s houses will be full of all kinds of owls, and wild goats will romp about there.

• But wild beasts will come and stay there. The houses will be full of screeching birds, large owls will stay there, and bush goats run about.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .