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.

Translation commentary on Sirach 3:5

Whoever honors his father will be gladdened by his own children: It is possible to understand this to mean that the person will be made glad by having children of his own, but much more likely it means his children will be a source of pride, satisfaction, and happiness. Good News Translation expresses this well: “If you respect your father, one day your own children will make you happy.” “One day” means “the time will come when.”

And when he prays he will be heard is literally “and on the day of his prayer he will be heard.” Good News Translation‘s translation, “the Lord will hear your prayers,” is a good model.

Honoring parents is a righteous act, and Pro 15.29 tell us that God hears the prayers of the righteous. So it is by honoring our parents that we find satisfaction within our own families (previous line) and earn favor with the Lord.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Sirach. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.