soul

The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that is translated as “soul” in English is translated in Chol with a term that refers to the invisible aspects of human beings (source: Robert Bascom).

The Mandarin Chinese línghún (靈魂 / 灵魂), literally “spirit-soul,” is often used for “soul” (along with xīn [心] or “heart”). This is a term that was adopted from Buddhist sources into early Catholic writings and later also by Protestant translators. (Source: Zetzsche 1996, p. 32, see also Clara Ho-yan Chan in this article )

See also heart, soul, mind.

Translation commentary on Isaiah 16:11

This verse is a response to the situation described in the previous verse. It begins with the connector Therefore as does verse 9. It also reflects the same sentiment, namely, the prophet is deeply disturbed by the destruction in Moab.

My soul moans like a lyre for Moab: My soul is literally “my bowels.” Revised English Bible, New International Version, and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh say “my heart,” New Jerusalem Bible suggests “my whole being,” and New American Bible has “my breast.” Good News Translation simply uses the pronoun “I.” This is probably a useful model for many languages, but it does not convey the emotional depth of the Hebrew that speaks of the innermost feelings of a person. A better model in English is “my very being.” Moans like a lyre compares the prophet’s deeply felt response to the mournful sound made by the lyre, a harp-like stringed instrument (see 5.12). Bible en français courant uses a different instrument here by rendering this line as “That’s why my song rises with emotion for Moab, like a guitar tune.” However, for many cultures the guitar does not produce a mournful sound! Also, it does not fit the Old Testament cultural setting. If translators cannot find a suitable instrument, we recommend a nonfigurative rendering as in Good News Translation.

And my heart for Kir-heres: The verb moans applies to this line also. (The omission of the verb is called ellipsis.) My heart is literally “my inner parts,” so this is another description of the prophet’s deeply emotional response to the situation in Moab. Kir-heres is the same town as Kir-hareseth in verse 7; see the comments there.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Therefore my whole being groans deeply for the people of Moab; I groan like the sound of a harp, my very self aches for the people of Kir-heres.

• So my deepest self sighs for Moab like the sad sound of a harp, my very being aches for Kir-heres.

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 .