wine

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are translated as “wine” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “grape juice pressed long ago (= fermented)” or “strong water” (source: Daud Soesilo). In Guhu-Samane it is also translated as “strong water” (source: Ernest L. Richert in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 198ff. ), in Noongar as “liquor” (verbatim: “strong water”) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Hausa as ruwan inabi or “water of grapes” (with no indication whether it’s alcoholic or not — source: Mark A. Gaddis), or in Papantla Totonac and Coyutla Totonac as “a drink like Pulque” (for “Pulque,” see here ) (source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1971, p. 169ff. ).

In Swahili, Bible translations try to avoid local words for alcoholic drinks, because “drinking of any alcohol at all was one of the sins most denounced by early missionaries. Hence translators are uncomfortable by the occurrences of wine in the Bible. Some of the established churches which use wine prefer to see church wine as holy, and would not refer to it by the local names used for alcoholic drinks. Instead church wine is often referred to by terms borrowed from other languages, divai (from German, der Wein) or vini/mvinyo (from ltalian/Latin vino/vinum). Several translations done by Protestants have adapted the Swahili divai for ‘wine,’ while those done by Catholics use vini or mvinyo.” (Source: Rachel Konyoro in The Bible Translator 1985, p. 221ff. )

The Swahili divai was in turn borrowed by Sabaot and was turned into tifaayiik and is used as such in the Bible. Kupsabiny, on the other hand, borrowed mvinyo from Swahili and turned it into Finyonik. (Source: Iver Larsen)

In Nyamwezi, two terms are used. Malwa ga muzabibu is a kind of alcohol that people specifically use to get drunk (such as in Genesis 9:21) and ki’neneko is used for a wine made from grapes (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext).

In some Hindi translations (such as the Common Language version, publ. 2015 ), one term (dākharasa दाखरस — grape juice) is used when that particular drink is in the focus (such as in John 2) and another term (madirā मदिरा — “alcohol” or “liquor”) when drunkenness is in the focus (such as in Eph. 5:18).

In Mandarin Chinese, the generic term jiǔ (酒) or “alcohol(ic drink)” is typically used. Exceptions are Leviticus 10:9, Numbers 6:3, Deuteronomy 29:6, Judges 13:4 et al., 1 Samuel 1:15, and Luke 1:15 where a differentiation between weak and strong alcohol is needed. The Mandarin Chinese Union Version (2010) translates that as qīngjiǔ lièjiǔ (清酒烈酒) and dànjiǔ lièjiǔ (淡酒烈酒), both in the form of a Chinese proverb and meaning “light alcohol and strong drink.” (Source: Zetzsche)

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about wine in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also proceeds from the vine / anything that comes from the grapevine and wine (Gen 27:28).

king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

Translation commentary on Song of Songs 7:2

Note that, while there are similes in surrounding verses, this verse contains two metaphors, bowl and wheat. However, there is no general agreement about what these metaphors mean. Some commentators see hidden references to the woman’s more private parts and to her fertility. In view of the wide range of interpretations, the best approach may be to give a rather literal rendering here. In many languages changing the metaphors to similes by inserting comparison words “like” or “as” may be helpful.

Your navel: the parts of the body considered most beautiful vary from one cultural group to another. In the Ancient Near East, as reflected in Egyptian sculpture, the navel was thought to be an especially attractive part of a woman’s body.

A rounded bowl is what he likens her navel to. The Hebrew term here refers to a wide, round bowl, usually with two handles. The adjective refers to something round, so New English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible suggest “goblet,” or wine glass. This is an acceptable solution if a more descriptive phrase “a round bowl” cannot convey the sense adequately. Good News Translation omits the reference to her navel and simply states “A bowl is there.” This is confusing and should not be used as a model.

That never lacks mixed wine: this clause is another example of an extended metaphor (see also 5.12-16). It adds to the description of the goblet, not of the woman’s navel. In most translations this clause is treated as a relative clause describing the bowl or goblet; it is always full of wine. However, the Hebrew negative particle found here is rarely used in indicative clauses; rather it expresses a negative in imperative or optative (wish) clauses. This clause seems to be a wish, then, rather than a simple statement. The young man’s wish is that the goblet will never lack mixed wine. New Jerusalem Bible expresses this as “Let mixed wine not be lacking!” In some languages it may be more natural to express it positively, “May it always be filled with mixed wine.”

The Hebrew word translated mixed wine occurs only here, though related forms are found elsewhere. It refers to wine mixed with water and probably spices. Hence Good News Translation and New English Bible give “spiced wine.” If such a product is not known, or if explaining it would result in too long a phrase, we can simply substitute the more general “wine.” In fact wine is not the focus of the passage, so we may be able to use a substitute such as “a goblet that should be filled to the brim.” On the problems of translating wine, see 1.2.

Even if we arrive at a satisfactory translation for this rather awkward text, we still may not be clear about its meaning. Of course we cannot rule out the possibility that the reference to wine is somehow connected to lovemaking.

We can say for this part of the verse:

• Your navel is like a rounded cup.
May it always be filled with spiced wine.

Your belly is a heap of wheat: that part of the woman’s body between her navel and thighs is what is meant by belly. In modern English belly is not an elegant term. “Stomach” is hardly better, but we may have little choice about the term to use. In describing it as (like) a heap of wheat, the imagery probably again suggests gentle roundness; it may also mean a golden color. Avoid Good News Translation “a sheaf of” wheat, as it does not adequately represent the sense of the text. The translator should again look for a term that is poetic. In English “mound” is more poetic than “heap,” for example. Wheat being the basic grain crop of the area, translators may need to use a local grain crop as a substitute if wheat is unknown. The basis of the comparison should be the same, however, pointing to the roundness of the heap or its golden color.

Encircled with lilies is a difficult phrase. We note that it is an extended metaphor, that is to say, it adds to the description of the mound of wheat and not the woman’s stomach. Her stomach is not surrounded by a bunch of flowers! After harvest the wheat was threshed, gathered into heaps, and left to dry. At such times it was protected, perhaps by a surrounding fence made of brambles. The problem is that, as an extended metaphor describing the wheat, lilies seems an inappropriate plant to encircle it. There seems, therefore, to be some mixing of metaphors here. Some commentators assume the lilies refer to a loose belt tied around the young woman’s hips. However, lilies may simply be speaking of the young woman herself, as they are always associated with her and with the image of the “garden” (4.5; 5.13; 6.2-3), where her lover is welcome to come. Since the sense of the author is not at all clear here, a literal translation may be our only possibility.

For translation we suggest:

• Your navel is like a beautiful cup,
may it always be overflowing with wine!
Your stomach, round and golden,
is like a mound of wheat surrounded by lilies.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Song of Songs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1998. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .