boat, ship

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated “boat” or “ship” in English is translated in Chichimeca-Jonaz as “that with which we can walk on water” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.), in Chitonga as a term in combination with bwato or “dugout canoe” (source: Wendland 1987, p. 72), and in Tangale as inj am or “canoe-of water” (inj — “canoe” — on its own typically refers to a traditional type of carved-out log for sleeping) (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin).

In Kouya it is translated as ‘glʋ ‘kadʋ — “big canoe.”

Philip Saunders (p. 231) explains how the Kouya team arrived at that conclusion:

“Acts chapter 27 was a challenge! It describes Paul’s sea voyage to Italy, and finally Rome. There is a storm at sea and a shipwreck on Malta, and the chapter includes much detailed nautical vocabulary. How do you translate this for a landlocked people group, most of whom have never seen the ocean? All they know are small rivers and dugout canoes.

“We knew that we could later insert some illustrations during the final paging process which would help the Kouya readers to picture what was happening, but meanwhile we struggled to find or invent meaningful terms. The ‘ship’ was a ‘big canoe’ and the ‘passengers’ were ‘the people in the big canoe’; the ‘crew’ were the ‘workers in the big canoe’; the ‘pilot’ was the ‘driver of the big canoe’; the ‘big canoe stopping place’ was the ‘harbour’, and the ‘big canoe stopping metal’ was the ‘anchor’!”

In Lokạạ it is translated as ukalangkwaa, lit. “English canoe.” “The term was not coined for the Bible translation, but rather originated in colonial times when the English arrived in Nigeria on ships. The indigenous term for a canoe was modified to represent the large, ocean-going ship of the English.” (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

See also ships of Tarshish, harbor, anchor, and sailor.

complete verse (Revelation 18:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 18:19:

  • Uma: “They sprinkle ashes on their heads as a sign of their sorrow. They cry and shout, they say: ‘How sad! How sad for that big village over there! [It’s] from the wealth of the Babel people that all we workers on boats become rich. But see, in just one hour it is wiped out!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And they put dust on their heads as a sign that they were very grieved. They wept and wailed. They said, ‘Allo. It is all over (lit. no longer becoming). It is really a pity for that famous city. All the owners of ships became rich because of the wealth of that city. And now in just one hour everything in it has disappeared.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Since their breaths are very painful they will sprinkle dust on their heads and they will weep and wail saying, ‘How greatly the great city will be missed! For her wealth made owners of all the ships on the sea rich, and now within just one hour all the houses there have been completely destroyed,’ they said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They will scatter dust on their heads while weeping and mourning saying, ‘Oh how-awful (expression of sympathy)! Extremely to-be-pitied is that famous (lit. newsed) city! Her wealth is what all who have ships also used-to-become-wealthy. And there (exp. of sympathy) she was destroyed within only-one hour!’ they will-say.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Without anything further, they will put dust on their heads as a sign of the big-size of their grief. And crying, they will speak saying, ‘Alas, this really is extremely hard! Really extremely hard is what has happened to this famous city. All the owners of ships which deliver merchandise to this city have become rich. But within just one hour, her wealth and splendor have disappeared.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “They will throw dust on their heads and cry. Mournfully they will say, ‘Pity the city. All those who go on ships over the sea have become rich from selling things in the city, for those people of the city are very rich. But now in just a short time is ended all that it had gathered.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Revelation 18:19

They threw dust on their heads: a sign of grief (see Ezek 27.30). So one may translate “They threw dust on their heads to show their grief (or, how sorry they were).”

Wept and mourned: as in verses 11 and 15.

Alas, alas for the great city: as in verses 10 and 16.

Where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth: “all seafaring traders became rich from her wealth (or, prosperity)” or “all shipowners who travel on the sea to buy and sell gained many possessions from Babylon’s wealth.” The Greek word translated wealth is the superlative form of the adjective “valuable” (see its use in verse 12, “costly wood”), and appears only here in the New Testament.

In one hour she has been laid waste: see the similar expression in verse 17.

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 .