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.

complete verse (Revelation 18:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 18:14:

  • Uma: “That is why those merchants wept over the villagers of Babel, they said: ‘All the things that you desired no longer are. All the sweet-smelling things that you liked, all the things that you used to make your bodies beautiful, they are all lost, they are no longer found.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The traders said to the city, ‘All the wealth that you desired/craved is no more, all your riches and the things you boasted about have disappeared and you will not find them again.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The wealth seekers will say to the woman which is the city of Babylon, they will say, ‘All the things that you would like to own have been thoroughly destroyed. Your wealth has also been destroyed and that which brought you joy, and it will never again be seen,’ they said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “All the businessmen, they will-say to her, ‘Absolutely no one will sell you (sing.) the expensive fruits that you (sing.) craved. You (sing.) no-longer-have the foods that are difficult to get and the expensive decorations of the rich, and you (sing.) will not be-able-to-get (them) again.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Those merchants will say, ‘What a real pity, because all the good things which were valued by the people from there are no more. They will really never again find the wealth and splendor of that city.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The merchants will say to the city: ‘those things which overflowingly were wanted by your hearts to own, now are gone. Forever you have lost your money and all the things which seemed good to you,’ they will say.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Revelation 18:14

Revised Standard Version places this verse within quotation marks, indicating that this is quoted speech; but Revised Standard Version does not identify the speaker. It is better, with Good News Translation and others, to say that the businessmen of verse 11 are the speakers.

The fruit for which thy soul longed has gone from thee: the Greek word translated fruit appears only here in the New Testament and means “autumn fruit,” that is, ripe fruit (a related word, “late autumn,” is used in Jude 12). Here the word means “all the good things,” “all the pleasures.” Unless fruit in a given language will be understood to indicate “good things,” the translator should abandon the figure and state clearly what is meant by the figure. For which thy soul longed is literally “the desire of thy soul.” The Greek noun meaning “desire” appears only here in this book. “the fruit, the desire of your soul” means “everything you longed for (or, craved).”

All thy dainties and thy splendor: in Greek there is a wordplay: ta lipara and ta lampra, which New English Bible represents quite well: “all the glitter and the glamour.” An American Translation and New American Bible, Revised have “luxury and splendor.” The first Greek word means “the fatty things,” that is, delicacies, luxuries, the good things of life; the second one means “the shining things” (see its use in the phrase “bright linen” in 15.6; 19.8). This probably refers to objects that glitter, such as gold, silver, and precious stones. One possible rendering is “all the things that make you look beautiful.”

Are lost to thee, never to be found again: the second part of this verse may be restructured as follows: “you have lost all your luxuries and riches, and you will never get them back again” or “you have lost all the things that make your life comfortable and all your expensive possessions, and you will never….” The verbal phrase are lost translates the active “have left (you)”; and (never) to be found translates the impersonal third plural active “they will (not) find,” meaning “(not) be found.” In at least one language this is expressed as follows: “you will not meet the day when you will find these things again.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .