The Hebrew that is translated as “offering” in English is translated in Venda as nduvho. J. A. van Rooy (in The Bible Translator 1974, p. 439ff. ) explains: “It is derived from the verb u luvha (‘to pay homage to; to acknowledge the superiority of; at the same time usually asking for a favour’). It is sometimes used as a synonym for ‘asking something from a chief. The noun nduvho means ‘a gift of allegiance,’ which corresponds closely with minchah (מִנְחָה) as ‘offering of allegiance.’ This term nduvho has in it the elements of subjugation, of reciprocity (asking for a favor), of being taken up into the same community as the chief in allegiance to him. Only the element of expiation is missing.”
In Northern Emberá, it is translated as “given to God freely.” (Source: Loewen 1980, p. 108)
The Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek terms that are often translated as “worship” (also, “kneel down” or “bow down”) are likewise translated in other languages in certain categories, including those based on physical activity, those which incorporate some element of “speaking” or “declaring,” and those which specify some type of mental activity.
Following is a list of (back-) translations (click or tap for details):
Obolo: itọtọbọ ebum: “express reverence and devotion” (source: Enene Enene)
Ngäbere: “cut oneself down before” (“This figure of speech comes from the picture of towering mahoganies in the forest which, under the woodman’s ax, quiver, waver, and then in solemn, thunderous crashing bury their lofty heads in the upstretched arms of the surrounding forest. This is the experience of every true worshiper who sees ‘the Lord, high and lifted up.’ Our own unworthiness brings us low. As the Valientes say, ‘we cut ourselves down before’ His presence. Our heads, which have been carried high in self-confidence, sink lower and lower in worship.)
Tzeltal: “end oneself before God.” (“Only by coming to the end of oneself can one truly worship. The animist worships his deities in the hope of receiving corresponding benefits, and some pagans in Christendom think that church attendance is a guarantee of success in this life and good luck in the future. But God has never set a price on worship except the price that we must pay, namely, ‘coming to the end of ourselves.'”) (Source of this and the one above: Nida 1952, p. 163)
Folopa: “die under God” (“an idiom that roughly back-translates “dying under God” which means lifting up his name and praising him and to acknowledge by everything one does and thanks that God is superior.”) (Source: Anderson / Moore, p. 202)
Chokwe: kuivayila — “rub something on” (“When anyone goes into the presence of a king or other superior, according to native law and custom the inferior gets down on the ground, takes a little earth in the fingers of his right hand, rubs it on his own body, and then claps his hands in homage and the greeting of friendship. It is a token of veneration, of homage, of extreme gratitude for some favor received. It is also a recognition of kingship, lordship, and a prostrating of oneself in its presence. Yet it simply is the applicative form of ‘to rub something on oneself’, this form of the verb giving the value of ‘because of.’ Thus in God’s presence as king and Lord we metaphorically rub dirt on ourselves, thus acknowledging Him for what He really is and what He has done for us.”) (Source: D. B. Long in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 87ff. )
In Luang it is translated with different shades of meaning:
For Mark 15:19 and Matt. 2:8 and 2:11: “uh’idma-rrama llia’ara” — “to kiss the fingernail and lick the heel”
For Acts 16:14: ra’uli-rawedi — “to praise-talk about”
The word “Cush” (New English Bible, New International Version), translated Ethiopia in Revised Standard Version, refers to the Upper Nile region, which included most of modern “Sudan” (Good News Translation) and part of Ethiopia. The expression beyond the rivers of Ethiopia emphasizes that this area was at the borders of the known world, so Good News Translation renders “distant Sudan.” See also comments on 1.1; 2.12; and Nahum 3.9. “Sudan” may not be very “distant” from the locations of some modern Bible translators, but it was distant from the point of view of someone living in Judah, and the translator must represent this viewpoint. “Distant Sudan” may also be expressed as “Sudan which is very far away” or “The country of Sudan which is….”
The difficulties in this verse arise from the phrases rendered my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones in Revised Standard Version. The Hebrew word translated my suppliants comes from a well-known verb meaning “pray, entreat, worship,” but the form of it occurring here is found nowhere else. The meaning is clear enough, but it is not so easy to decide who the suppliants are. They seem to be explained by the next phrase, the daughter of my dispersed ones. This is again an expression that occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament, and for this reason some scholars have suggested changing it (see, for instance, Moffatt and New American Bible), while others omit it, following the Septuagint (Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible). Most modern English versions retain the phrase and understand my suppliants and the daughter of my dispersed ones to refer to Jews scattered outside the promised land, in this case in Ethiopia (Sudan).
The meaning of the verse is then that those Jews living in Ethiopia (Sudan) will pray to the LORD and bring offerings to him. This is the meaning expressed in Good News Translation: “Even from distant Sudan my scattered people will bring offerings to me.” However, Good News Translation seems to have omitted the element of meaning carried by the words my suppliants, so a more complete translation may be “… my scattered people will pray to me and bring me offerings.” “My scattered people” may be expressed as “my people who are living in far-off places.”
The difficulty with this interpretation is that verse 10 is then speaking of a different group of people from verse 9, where converted heathen were the subject. If the phrase the daughter of my dispersed ones is omitted with Bible de Jérusalem and Jerusalem Bible, then my suppliants will refer to the same group of converted heathen as verse 9.
Another approach to the problem is found in the Revised Version margin. This takes my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones as object rather than subject of the verb bring. The whole verse is then translated “From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia shall they bring my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed, for an offering unto me.” Thus the converted heathen are regarded as showing their new respect for the LORD by returning to their homeland those of his people who lived among them (compare Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).
None of these possibilities is without difficulty, but the majority of modern English versions (Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, Good News Translation, New International Version) adopt the first one, and translators are recommended to do the same. If they do take the first approach mentioned above, the clause bring my offering may also be expressed in some languages as “bring things (or, objects) to offer to me.” Another translation model, then, for this verse is “My people who are living in far-off lands will come even from distant Sudan, to pray to me and bring things to offer to me.”
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on the Book of Zephaniah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1989. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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