quietness

The interconfessional Chichewa translation (publ. 1999) uses the ideophone bata to describe complete quietness. (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 105)

Philip Noss (in The Bible Translator 1976, p. 100ff. ) explains the function of an ideophone: “The ideophone may be identified with onomatopoeia and other sound words frequently seen in French and English comic strips, but in [many] 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.”

Translation commentary on Isaiah 14:7

The whole earth is at rest and quiet: The whole earth is a hyperbole. It refers to the regions that the Babylonians had dominated. The theme of rest reappears here (see the comments on Isa 14.3). Since the Babylonians can no longer attack, there is rest and quiet in the world.

They break forth into singing: The pronoun they refers back to the singular noun earth by including all the people who suffered under the Babylonians. New Jerusalem Bible avoids the problem of a plural pronoun that has a singular referent by rendering the whole verse as “The whole world is at rest and calm, shouts of joy resounding.” Break forth into singing refers to singing in a loud voice. The Hebrew noun rendered singing comes from a root meaning “shout.” It usually implies shouting for joy. The people who are no longer persecuted by the Babylonians shout for joy since they enjoy peace. A verb such as “celebrate” conveys the sense here adequately. For this line New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “Loudly it cheers.”

Translation examples for this verse are:

• The entire world will have peace and rest; it will celebrate with shouts of joy.

• Everywhere there will be peace and tranquility; people will sing for joy.

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 .