The phrase that is rendered “the prophets are nothing but wind” in English versions is translated into Afar as Nabuwwa ufuyuk kiben karbatik gide ikkal, xiqaanam malonuuy: “The prophets are equivalent to big, leather milk containers (karbat) blown up with air, and are useless.”
prophet
Eugene Nida wrote the following about the translation of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek terms that are typically translated with “prophet” in English:
“The tendency in many translations is to use ‘to foretell the future’ for ‘prophesy,’ and ‘one who foretells the future’ for ‘prophet.’ This is not always a recommended usage, particularly if such expressions denote certain special native practices of spirit contact and control. It is true, of course, that prophets of the Bible did foretell the future, but this was not always their principal function. One essential significance of the Greek word prophētēs is ‘one who speaks forth,’ principally, of course, as a forth-teller of the Divine will. A translation such as ‘spokesman for God’ may often be employed profitably.” (1947, p. 234f.)
Following is a list of (back-) translations from other languages (click or tap for details):
- San Blas Kuna: “one who speaks the voice of God”
- Central Pame and Vai: “interpreter for God”
- Kaqchikel, Navajo, Yaka: “one who speaks for God”
- Northern Grebo: “God’s town crier” (see more about this below)
- Sapo: “God’s sent-word person”
- Shipibo-Conibo, Ngäbere: “one who speaks God’s word”
- Copainalá Zoque: “one who speaks-opens” (a compound meaning “one who discloses or reveals”)
- Sierra Totonac: “one who causes them to know” (in the sense of “revealer”)
- Batak Toba: “foreteller” (this and all the above acc. to Nida 1961, p. 7)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “one who is inspired of God” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Alekano: “the true man who descended from heaven” (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation June 1986, p. 36ff.)
- Aguaruna: “teller of God’s word” (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125)
- Ekari: “person who speaks under divine impulse”
- Mandarin Chinese: 先知 xiānzhī — “one who foreknows” (or the 1946/1970 translation by Lü Zhenzhong: 神言人 shényánrén — “divine-word-man”)
- Uab Meto: “holy spokesman” (source for this and two above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
- Kouya: Lagɔɔ gbʋgbanyɔ — “the one who seeks God’s affairs” (source: Saunders, p. 269)
- Kafa: “decide for God only” (source: Loren Bliese)
- Martu Wangka: “sit true to God’s talk” (source: Carl Gross)
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “word passer” (source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation November 1964, p. 1-22)
- Obolo: ebi nriran: “one with power of divine revelation” (source: Enene Enene)
- Mairasi: nonondoai nyan: “message proclaimer” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
- Highland Totonac: “speaker on God’s behalf”
- Central Tarahumara: “God’s preacher” (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
- Coatlán Mixe: “God’s word-thrower”
- Ayutla Mixtec: “one who talks as God’s representative”
- Isthmus Mixe: “speaker for God” (source for this and two above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
- Mezquital Otomi / Paasaal: “God’s messenger” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff. and Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)
- Noongar: Warda Marridjiny or “News Traveling” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
- Kutu: mtula ndagu or “one who gives the prediction of the past and the future” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
- French 1985 translation by Chouraqui: inspiré or “inspired one” (“someone in whom God has breathed [Latin: in + spiro]) (source: Watson 2023, p. 45)
In Ixcatlán Mazatec a term is used that specifically includes women. (Source: Robert Bascom)
About the translation into Northern Grebo:
“In some instances these spiritual terms result from adaptations reflecting the native life and culture. Among the Northern Grebo people of Liberia, a missionary wanted some adequate term for ‘prophet,’ and she was fully aware that the native word for ‘soothsayer’ or ‘diviner’ was no equivalent for the Biblical prophet who spoke forth for God. Of course, much of what the prophets said referred to the future, and though this was an essential part of much of their ministry, it was by no means all. The right word for the Gbeapo people would have to include something which would not only mean the foretelling of important events but the proclamation of truth as God’s representative among the people. At last the right word came; it was ‘God’s town-crier.’ Every morning and evening the official representative of the chief goes through the village crying out the news, delivering the orders of the chief, and announcing important coming events. ‘God’s town-crier’ would be the official representative of God, announcing to the people God’s doings, His commands, and His pronouncements for their salvation and well-being. For the Northern Grebo people the prophet is no weird person from forgotten times; he is as real as the human, moving message of the plowman Amos, who became God’s town-crier to a calloused people.” (source: Nida 1952, p. 20)
In American Sign Language it is a person who sees into the future:
“Prophet” in American Sign Language (source )
In British Sign Language it is is translated with a sign that depicts a message coming from God to a person (the upright finger) and then being passed on to others. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Prophet” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
See also prophesy and prophesy / prophetic frenzy.
Translation commentary on Jeremiah 5:13 - 5:14
The interpretation of verse 13 is difficult because in Hebrew the speaker is not clearly identified. If the LORD (or Jeremiah) is viewed as the speaker, then the verse is a judgment against the false prophets whose message is reflected in verse 12. However, on the basis of verse 11, it is more natural to assume that the people of Israel and Judah are the speakers. It will probably be helpful for readers to begin the verse much as in Good News Translation: “They have said” or “The people say.”
The interpretation of the verse is further complicated by the ambiguous statement Thus shall it be done to them! These words are not found in the Septuagint, and some translations omit them (Revised English Bible, Moffatt). Hebrew Old Testament Text Project is of the opinion that the words should be retained, but gives no hint regarding what the pronouns it and them refer to. There are two possibilities: (1) It refers to the judgment of verse 12, and them to the prophets who have spoken these words. According to this interpretation, the people of Israel and Judah are disclaiming the truth of the prophetic message, and are asking that the judgment proclaimed by the prophets would fall upon the prophets themselves. This interpretation is followed by New American Bible (“May their threats be carried out against themselves!”), New International Version (“so let what they say be done to them”), An American Translation (“As they have spoken to us, So let it be done to them!”), and New Jerusalem Bible (“let those very things happen to them!”). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch also follows this interpretation: “What they have threatened, they themselves will experience….” (2) It may refer to the fiery judgment of verse 14 and them to the people of Israel and Judah who reject it. This interpretation is followed by Bright. Neither interpretation is without its difficulties, though the first solution would seem to require less adjustments to the Hebrew text.
New Revised Standard Version renders The prophets will become wind as “The prophets are nothing but wind,” which is similar to Revised English Bible “The prophets will prove mere wind.” Since in Hebrew the same word may mean either wind or spirit, it is assumed by most scholars that a play on words is intended by the statement The prophets will become wind. Although the prophets claim inspiration by God’s spirit, the people are saying they are “mere wind” (Revised English Bible). Good News Translation interprets the metaphor a little differently. “Windbags” means they speak nothing but meaningless words. Bassa in Liberia is similar with “The prophets speak empty words like a wind that comes.”
The word is not in them is an obvious reference to God’s word: “they have no message from the LORD” (Good News Translation) and “God has not spoken to them” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).
In the second part of verse 14 it becomes clear that the LORD is speaking to Jeremiah, which is why a number of translations begin the verse with something like “Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, said to me [or, to Jeremiah].”
The God of hosts: The more usual form for God of hosts is “the LORD of hosts.” See 2.19.
“You” in the Hebrew text has been altered to read they by Revised Standard Version, Moffatt, and Bright. New International Version has “the people,” which may either represent this interpretation or reflect a translational adjustment based upon the Hebrew. On the assumption that “you” in Hebrew refers to the people of Israel and Judah, both Good News Translation (“these people”) and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (“the people of Judah”) shift to a more natural third person reference in English. This is a legitimate shift, since biblical Hebrew frequently alternates between a second person pronoun (“you”) and a third person pronoun (“he/she/they”) when referring to the same person or persons. See verses 19, 31.
Revised English Bible renders Because they have spoken this word as “because they talk in this way.”
Notice that many translations find it helpful to restructure the opening of this verse somewhat: “Therefore, because they have said this, the LORD God Almighty said to me.”
For behold see 1.6.
In place of I am making my words in your mouth a fire, it may be more natural to follow the restructuring of Good News Translation: “I will make my words like a fire in your mouth.”
And this people wood may also be made into a comparison, “The people will be like wood” (Good News Translation). The two lines can flow quite smoothly: “I will make my words in your mouth like a fire that will burn up the people like firewood.”
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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