angel

The Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic that is translated as “angel” in English versions is translated in many ways:

  • Pintupi-Luritja: ngaṉka ngurrara: “one who belongs in the sky” (source: Ken Hansen quoted in Steven 1984a, p. 116.)
  • Tetela, Kpelle, Balinese, and Mandarin Chinese: “heavenly messenger”
  • Shilluk / Igede: “spirit messenger”
  • Mashco Piro: “messenger of God”
  • Batak Toba: “envoy, messenger”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “holy servant” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida 1961; Igede: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Central Mazahua: “God’s worker” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.)
  • Saramaccan: basia u Masa Gaangadu köndë or “messenger from God’s country” (source: Jabini 2015, p. 86)
  • Mairasi: atatnyev nyaa or “sent-one” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “word bringer” (source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
  • Apali: “God’s one with talk from the head” (“basically God’s messenger since head refers to any leader’s talk”) (source: Martha Wade)
  • Michoacán Nahuatl: “clean helper of God” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Noongar: Hdjin-djin-kwabba or “spirit good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Wè Northern (Wɛɛ): Kea ‘a “sooa or “the Lord’s soldier” (also: “God’s soldier” or “his soldier”) (source: Drew Maust)
  • Iwaidja: “a man sent with a message” (Sam Freney explains the genesis of this term [in this article ): “For example, in Darwin last year, as we were working on a new translation of Luke 2:6–12 in Iwaidja, a Northern Territory language, the translators had written ‘angel’ as ‘a man with eagle wings’. Even before getting to the question of whether this was an accurate term (or one that imported some other information in), the word for ‘eagle’ started getting discussed. One of the translators had her teenage granddaughter with her, and this word didn’t mean anything to her at all. She’d never heard of it, as it was an archaic term that younger people didn’t use anymore. They ended up changing the translation of ‘angel’ to something like ‘a man sent with a message’, which is both more accurate and clear.”)

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) is used as in mi-tsukai (御使い) or “messenger (of God).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also angel (Acts 12:15) and this devotion on YouVersion .

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 10:28

Where is the angel Uriel, who came to me at first?: At this point Ezra needs help to understand what is happening, so he calls for Uriel, who appeared to him for the first time in 2 Esd 4.1.

For it was he who brought me into this overpowering bewilderment may be rendered “It is his fault that I am so confused” (Good News Bible), “He caused all my confusion” (Contemporary English Version), or even “It is his fault that I am in this predicament [or, having this problem].”

My end has become corruption may be translated “In the end I am going to die” or “I will soon die” (Contemporary English Version).

And my prayer a reproach means his “prayer is useless” (Good News Bible). The verb has become is implied here from the previous clause. My prayer may refer to Ezra’s prayer in 2 Esd 9.29-37 or to all his prayers (so New English Bible). Now he is disappointed, even feeling disillusioned. He does not realize that the massive stones of the big city he now sees is only the beginning of the revelation he is about to receive. My end has become corruption apparently means that Ezra is now persuaded that there is no life after death. It is possible, however, to understand this clause as does New English Bible, which says “all my hopes are shattered.” Still another possibility is that the author originally wrote a Hebrew word for “prayer,” a word that resembles a word for “end.” The two last clauses would then have the same meaning. Violet so translates, saying “So my prayer has come to nothing and my request has been in vain!”

The following model of this verse rearranges its clauses:

• “What is happening? I can’t understand [or, deal with this]! All my prayers have been for nothing. There is no life after this one for me. Where is Uriel, that angel who started all this? It is his fault that I am in this predicament!”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.