The Hebrew that is transliterated as “Miriam” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “tambourine” referring to Exodus 15:20. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
In some Semitic languages, the transliteration for “Miriam” is identical to “Mary,” testifying to the fact that these names are identical (Arabic and the many translations that are reliant on Arabic: مَرْيَم, Hebrew: מִרְיָם, Ge’ez / Amharic and related languages: ማርያም).
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 6:3:
Kupsabiny: “And Amram, he had two sons and those were Aaron and Moses together with a daughter who was called Miriam. Aaron had four sons and those were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses and Miriam. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The children of Amram were Aaron, Moises, and Miriam. The children of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Itamar.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Amram’s children were Miriam and her younger brothers Aaron and Moses. Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
American Sign Language also uses the sign depicting the horns but also has a number of alternative signs (see here ).
In French Sign Language, a similar sign is used, but it is interpreted as “radiance” (see below) and it culminates in a sign for “10,” signifying the 10 commandments:
The horns that are visible in Michelangelo’s statue are based on a passage in the Latin Vulgate translation (and many Catholic Bible translations that were translated through the 1950ies with that version as the source text). Jerome, the translator, had worked from a Hebrew text without the niqquds, the diacritical marks that signify the vowels in Hebrew and had interpreted the term קרו (k-r-n) in Exodus 34:29 as קֶ֫רֶן — keren “horned,” rather than קָרַו — karan “radiance” (describing the radiance of Moses’ head as he descends from Mount Sinai).
In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with a sign depicting holding a staff. This refers to a number of times where Moses’s staff is used in the context of miracles, including the parting of the sea (see Exodus 14:16), striking of the rock for water (see Exodus 17:5 and following), or the battle with Amalek (see Exodus 17:9 and following).
In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with the sign that depicts the eye make up he would have worn as the adopted son of an Egyptian princess. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)
“Moses” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL
The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam: The Hebrew word translated children is the same one rendered “sons” in the previous verse. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “Sons” here. However, the context clearly requires a broader meaning, and translators may wish to make clear that Miriam was a daughter (so Good News Translation, Bible en français courant), while Aaron and Moses were sons. Menge says “And the sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses, and (their sister) Miriam.” In languages where the name Miriam is recognized as feminine, it may not be necessary to specify that Miriam was a daughter, but in those languages where this is not the case, the Good News Translation model may be more helpful.
The sons of Aaron …: Good News Translation adds the number “four” as the context allows. Good News Translation also starts a new paragraph here since the subject of Aaron’s sons is seen as a new topic (also Contemporary English Version).
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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