dancing, shaking, trembling

The interconfessional Chichewa translation (publ. 1999) uses the ideophone njenjenje (“shake-shake”) to emphasize movements like trembling, dancing, or shaking in these verses. (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 105)

Philip Noss (in The Bible Translator 1976, p. 100ff. ) explains the function of an ideophone: “The ideophone may be identified with onomatopoeia and other sound words frequently seen in French and English comic strips, but in [many] African languages it comprises a class of words with a very wide range of meaning and usage. They may function verbally, substantively, or in a modifying role similar to adverbs and adjectives. They describe anything that may be experienced: action, sound, color, quality, smell, or emotion. In oral literature they are used not only with great frequency but also with great creativity.”

Translation commentary on Tobit 12:16

The two of them: In 12.6 Good News Translation has “the two men.” Here it translates “Tobit and Tobias” to remind readers which two people are being spoken about.

The order of the three verbs in Greek, were shaken … fell … were afraid, is reversed in Good News Translation: “were terrified … fell … trembling with fear.” Were shaken means that they were extremely agitated and disturbed, in this case to the point of a physical reaction. Fell face down describes their falling in an attitude of reverence and submission. They did this willingly; translators should not give the impression that the action is a result of being stunned by the revelation, or made unconscious.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Tobit. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.