happiness / joy

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the Hausa Common Language Ajami Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.

Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also Seat of the Mind / Seat of Emotions, rejoiced greatly / celebrated, the Mossi translation of “righteous”, and joy.

joy

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The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is translated with “joy” or “gladness” in English is translated with various associations of “sweetness” or taste: Bambara has “the spirit is made sweet,” Kpelle translates as “sweet heart,” and Tzeltal as “the good taste of one’s heart,” Uduk uses the phrase “good to the stomach,” Baoulé “a song in the stomach,” Mískito “the liver is wide open” (“happily letting the pleasures flooding in upon it”) (source: Nida 1952), Mairasi says “good liver” (source: Enggavoter 2004), Noongar has koort-kwabba-djil or “heart very good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), and Chicahuaxtla Triqui “refreshed heart” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).

See also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling,” happiness / joy, and exceeding joy.

complete verse (Philippians 1:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 1:4:

  • Uma: “And every time I pray, my heart is always glad to pray for you all.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And every time I pray to God for you, I am joyful/glad in my liver,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when I pray for you I am very happy,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because starting-from when you began to believe until now, you have been helping me in my work which is to make-known the good news. Therefore extreme is my happiness when I pray for you.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “It’s true, I am always mentioning you all in prayer, and every time I pray for you, my mind/inner-being is happy,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “When I pray to God concerning you, I really rejoice.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Philippians 1:4

This verse is sometimes regarded as parenthetical because Paul’s thanksgiving is not mentioned again until verse 5 (cf. Luther), but this conclusion is unnecessary, for the following reasons. First, there is no need to mention the object of thanksgiving in verse 5, since it is already implicit in the phrase “every time I think of you” (v. 3). Good News Translation makes the object explicit by supplying “for you,” thus “I thank my God for you every time I think of you.” Secondly, there is no evidence that verse 4 is a digression, since it connects rather naturally both with what precedes and with what follows. Both “thanksgiving” (v. 3) and “supplication” (v. 4; the word translated pray in Good News Translation) are essential components of prayer. Furthermore, verse 5 gives the reason for the “joy” mentioned in verse 4. Finally, the sense of “joy,” being the dominant tone in this letter (1.18, 25; 2.2, 17, 18, 28, 29; 3.1; 4.1, 4, 10), is not likely to be parenthetical in Paul’s thought.

The word translated pray (a noun in Greek) is not the usual word for prayer. Its essential component is “supplication” (American Standard Version [American Standard Version] “in every supplication of mine”). The supplication Paul continuously makes is for you all. One cannot fail to be impressed by the repeated use of “all,” “each,” or “every” in this letter, especially when the Philippian church is referred to (1.4, 7, 8, 25; 2.17; 4.21). The word seems to be related to Paul’s constant exhortations to unity (1.27; 2.1-4; 4.2, 3, 5, 7, 9). The repeated reference to all the members of the Philippian church is intended to remind them of the danger of divisions, which is the one negative element in Paul’s general feeling of satisfaction with respect to that group of believers. One should not conclude that the use of “all” is meaningless and may be left untranslated (cf. Phillips New American Bible).

In verse 3 the phrase for you must be understood in the sense of “because of you,” but in verse 4 for you all must be understood in the sense of “on behalf of you all.” I pray for you must be expressed in some instances as “I pray to God that he will help you” but in others it maybe sufficient simply to say “I speak to God about you.”

The semantic elements in the expression I pray with joy must be reversed in some languages, for example, “I am happy when I pray” or “I feel joy in my praying.” In some languages this joy may be expressed idiomatically as “my heart dances as I pray,” or “my abdomen is content as I talk with God.”

Quoted with permission from Luo, I-Jin. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .