flute

The musical instrument that is most often translated as “flute” or “pipe” in English is more or less universally used, so it’s typically translated directly with the applicable term.

Since its cultural significance is sometimes different it might be translated with a different instruments is some cases (see also below). When in Matthew 11:17 and Luke 7:32 the flute is mentioned as an instrument played at a wedding, the Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999) translates it as “we played the wedding drum for you” (source: Wendland 1987, p. 74), the Yakan and Kankanaey translations use “gongs” (source: Yakan and Kankanaey Back Translations), in Western Bukidnon Manobo “drumming” is used (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation), and in Tagbanwa “stringed-instruments” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).

Or in Jeremiah 48:36 where the flute is used for mourning, Bassa uses “funeral drum” (source: Newman / Stine) or Hiligaynon, while using “flute,” makes the meaning explicit: “like a lonely music of a flute for the dead” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation).

In the UBS Helps for Translators‘ Human-made Things in the Bible (original title: The Works of Their Hands: Man-made Things in the Bible) it says the following:

Description: The flute was a wind instrument consisting of a tube with a series of finger holes used to alter the tone. Some flutes were made of reed and could take several forms: the tube could be a cylinder or it could be more in the shape of a cone. There were instruments made of a single tube, while others had two tubes side by side. Often ancient double flutes or double pipes were arranged in a V-shape, with two separate reeds. One of these pipes had several holes while the other had only one hole and acted as a kind of drone, providing an unchanging tone to accompany the varying tones coming from the first pipe. Some pipes or flutes were made of other materials, such as wood, ivory, bone, or metal.

Usage: Sound was produced with the flute by blowing across an opening leading into a hole running inside the length of the instrument; in some cases the opening hole was in the end of the instrument while in others this hole was in the side of the instrument toward one end. With the reed pipe, on the other hand, a column of air was set in motion by blowing over a reed device, causing it to vibrate.

Translation: If there is no wind instrument available to translate “flute,” a different kind of wind instrument may be used.

The Hebrew word ‘ugav is usually understood to refer to a wind instrument. It is possible, however, that it is a generic term for “instrument” or even refers to a particular stringed instrument. In Job 21:12 and Job 30:31 it is identified as an instrument that expressed joy and contentment.

Psalms 5:1: The Hebrew word nchiloth appears only here in the Old Testament, and its meaning is uncertain. It may mean “wind instruments” in general or “flutes” in particular. Extra-biblical evidence indicates that it may have been an instrument played for funeral laments.

Matthew 9:23: Here NRSVue has “flute players”: According to Jewish tradition, even the poorest people were expected to have two flute players and a wailing woman for a funeral. In order to clarify the role of the flute players Good News Translation adds “for the funeral.” This information was immediately evident to a Jewish reader who was familiar with the funeral customs, but it will not be clear to other readers. Many cultures are familiar with the flute or other instruments that are played by blowing through a wooden tube. If no such instrument exists, then translators can say “those who played musical instruments for a funeral” or, as in Good News Translation, “musicians for the funeral.” See also flute players.

Men playing flutes (source: Louise Bass (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1994)

Quoted with permission.

cymbals

The musical instrument that is most often translated as “cymbals” in English is translated in the following ways:

  • Laarim: “jingles” (source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Uma: “drum” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “tin” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “bamboo clapper” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “percussion-instrument” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “rattling decoration” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Kupsabiny: “drum sticks” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Paicî: “cooking pot lid” (in 1 Cor. 13:1) (Source: Ian Flaws)
  • Natügu: “smacking things” and “banging things” (in Psalm 150:5) (source: Brenda Boerger in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. )

In the UBS Helps for Translators‘ Human-made Things in the Bible (original title: The Works of Their Hands: Man-made Things in the Bible) it says the following:

Description: Cymbals were a percussion instrument consisting of two metal discs that were struck together in order to make a shrill, clashing sound. There were two types of cymbals: (1) flat metal plates that were struck together, and (2) metal cones, one of which was brought down on top of the other, on the open end.

Translation: The equivalent of “cymbal” in many languages is a phrase such as “loud metal.”

Cymbals (source: Susan Mitford (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1986)

Quoted with permission.

See also clanging cymbal.

bless(ed)

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The Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Aramaic that is translated into English as “(to) bless” or “blessed” is translated into a wide variety of possibilities.

The Hebrew term barak (and the Aramaic term berak) also (and originally) means “kneel” (a meaning which the word has retained — see Gen. 24:11) and can be used for God blessing people (or things), people blessing each other, or people blessing God. While English Bible translators have not seen a stumbling block in always using the same term (“bless” in its various forms), other languages need to make distinctions (see below).

In Bari, spoken in South Sudan, the connection between blessing and knees/legs is still apparent. For Genesis 30:30 (in English: “the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned”), Bari uses a common expression that says (much like the Hebrew), ‘… blessed you to my feet.'” (Source: P. Guillebaud in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 189ff. .)

Other examples for the translation of “bless” when God is the one who blesses include (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight):

  • “think well of” (San Blas Kuna)
  • “speak good to” (Amganad Ifugao)
  • “make happy” (Pohnpeian)
  • “cause-to-live-as-a-chief” (Zulu)
  • “sprinkle with a propitious (lit. cool) face” (a poetic expression occurring in the priests’ language) (Toraja Sa’dan) (source for this and above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • “give good things” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • “ask good” (Yakan) (source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • “praise, say good things” (Central Yupik) (source: Robert Bascom)
  • “greatly love” (Candoshi-Shapra) (source: John C. Tuggy)
  • “showing a good heart” (Kutu) (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • “good luck — have — good fortune — have” (verbatim) ꓶꓼ ꓙꓳ ꓫꓱꓹ ꓙꓳ — ɯa dzho shes zho (Lisu). This construction follows a traditional four-couplet construct in oral Lisu poetry that is usually in the form ABAC or ABCB. (Source: Arrington 2020, p. 58)
  • wodala — denoting a person who is considered fortunate because he/she has something good that the majority of people do not have. It also acknowledges someone as a causative agent behind “being blessed.” (Chichewa) (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

In Tagbanwa a phrase is used for both the blessing done by people and God that back-translates to “caused to be pierced by words causing grace/favor” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation) and in Benabena a term denoted “good spell” or “good magic” (source: Renck 1990, p. 112).

Ixcatlán Mazatec had to select a separate term when relating “to people ‘blessing’ God” (or things of God): “praise(d)” or “give thanks for” (in 1 Cor. 10:16) (“as it is humans doing the ‘blessing’ and people do not bless the things of God or God himself the way God blesses people” — source: Robert Bascom). Eastern Bru and Kui also use “praise” for this a God-directed blessing (source: Bru back translation and Helen Evans in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) and Uma uses “appropriate/worthy to be worshipped” (source: Uma back translation).

When related to someone who is blessing someone else, it is translated into Tsou as “speak good hopes for.” In Waiwai it is translated as “may God be good and kind to you now.” (Sources: Peng Kuo-Wei for Tsou and Robert Hawkins in The Bible Translator 1962, pp. 164ff. for Waiwai.)

Some languages associate an expression that originally means “spitting” or “saliva” with blessing. The Bantu language Koonzime, for instance, uses that expression for “blessing” in their translation coming from either God or man. Traditionally, the term was used in an application of blessing by an aged superior upon a younger inferior, often in relation to a desire for fertility, or in a ritualistic, but not actually performed spitting past the back of the hand. The spitting of saliva has the effect of giving that person “tenderness of face,” which can be translated as “blessedness.” (Source: Keith Beavon)

Martin Ehrensvärd, one of the translators for the Danish Bibelen 2020, comments on the translation of this term: “As for ‘blessing’, in the end we in most instances actually kept the word, after initially preferring the expression ‘giving life strength’. The backlash against dropping the word blessing was too hard. But we would often add a few words to help the reader understand what the word means in a given context — people often understand it to refer more to a spiritual connection with God, but in the Hebrew texts, it usually has to do with material things or good health or many children. So when e.g. in Isaiah 19:25 the Hebrew text says ‘God bless them’, we say ‘God bless them’ and we add: ‘and give them strength’. ‘And give them strength’ is not found in the overt Hebrew text, but we are again making explicit what we believe is the meaning so as to avoid misunderstanding.” (Source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )

See also bless (food and drink), blessed (Christ in Mark 11:9), and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.

See also “Blessed by ‘The Blessing’ in the World’s Indigenous Languages” and Multilingual version of “The Blessing” based on Numbers 6:24-26 .

gentiles / nations

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin that is often translated as “gentiles” (or “nations”) in English is often translated as a “local equivalent of ‘foreigners,'” such as “the people of other lands” (Guerrero Amuzgo), “people of other towns” (Tzeltal), “people of other languages” (San Miguel El Grande Mixtec), “strange peoples” (Navajo (Dinė)) (this and above, see Bratcher / Nida), “outsiders” (Ekari), “people of foreign lands” (Kannada), “non-Jews” (North Alaskan Inupiatun), “people being-in-darkness” (a figurative expression for people lacking cultural or religious insight) (Toraja-Sa’dan) (source for this and three above Reiling / Swellengrebel), “from different places all people” (Martu Wangka) (source: Carl Gross).

Tzeltal translates it as “people in all different towns,” Chicahuaxtla Triqui as “the people who live all over the world,” Highland Totonac as “all the outsider people,” Sayula Popoluca as “(people) in every land” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Chichimeca-Jonaz as “foreign people who are not Jews,” Sierra de Juárez Zapotec as “people of other nations” (source of this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), Highland Totonac as “outsider people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Uma as “people who are not the descendants of Israel” (source: Uma Back Translation), “other ethnic groups” (source: Newari Back Translation), and Yakan as “the other tribes” (source: Yakan Back Translation).

In Chichewa, it is translated with mitundu or “races.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also nations.

complete verse (Matthew 1:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 1:2:

  • Uma: “From Abraham to Daud, the names of the grandparents of Yesus are these: Abraham was the progenitor of Ishak, Ishak was the progenitor of Yakub, Yakub was the progenitor of Yehuda and his siblings,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Abraham was the father of Isaac; Isaac, he was the father of Jacob. Now Jacob, his offspring were Juda and his brothers.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Abraham was the father of Isaac who was the father of Jacob who was in-turn the father of Juda and his siblings.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob, he being the father of Juda and his brothers.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and others who were his brothers.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 1:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 1:3:

  • Uma: “Yehuda was the progenitor of Peres and Zerah (the names of their mother: Tamar), Peres was the progenitor of Hezron, Hezron was the progenitor of Ram,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for Juda, his wife was Tamar and their children were Perez and Zerah. Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron, the father of Ram.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Juda was the father of Perez and Zera, and Tamar was their mother. Perez was the father of Hezron who was the father of Ram.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Juda married Tamar. They gave birth to Fares and Zara. Fares was the father of Esrom, and Esrom was the father of Aram.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah. The mother of these two men was named Tamar. Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 1:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 1:4:

  • Uma: “Ram was the progenitor of Aminadab, Aminadab was the progenitor of Nahason, Nahason was the progenitor of Salmon,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Ram was the father of Aminadab; Aminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon;” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Ram in-turn was the father of Amminadab who was the father of Nason who was the father of Salmon.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Aram was the father of Aminadab. Aminadab was the father of Naason, who was the father of Salmon.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 1:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 1:5:

  • Uma: “Salmon was the progenitor of Boas (the name of his mother: Rahab), Boas was the progenitor of Obed (the name of his mother: Rut), Obed was the progenitor of Isai,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for Salmon his wife was Rahab, their child was Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed. Ruth was Obed’s mother. Obed was the father of Jesse.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Salmon, that was the father of Boaz, and Rahab was his mother. Boaz in-turn was the father of Obed, and Ruth was his mother. Obed, he was the father of Jesse,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Salmon married Rahab. They gave birth to Booz. Booz married Ruth. They gave birth to Obed. Well Obed was the father of Jesse,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Salmon was the father of Boaz. The mother of this Boaz was named Rahab. Boaz was the father of Obed. The mother of this Obed was named Ruth. Obed was the father of Jesse.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)