messenger

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “messenger” in English is translated in Noongar as moort yana-waangki or “person walk-talk” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

Elisha

The name that is transliterated as “Elisha” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language with the sign signifying “help + prophet.” (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Elisha” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

In American Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “bald,” referring to 2 Kings 2:23. This is a sign that was adapted from Kenyan Sign Language. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Elisha” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with with the sign depicting “putting on mantel” referring to 2 Kings 2:13. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Elisha” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Elisha .

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

complete verse (2 Kings 5:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 5:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then Elisha sent his servant out. That one came and said to Naaman, ‘It has been said, ‘Go (sing.) and wash yourself in the river Jordan seven times. The skin of your body will change itself to be healthy and you will be cleansed.’ ’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Elisha sent a messenger to him, speaking like this, "You yourself go and submerge yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will become as before and you will be cleansed.’” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Elisha commanded a messenger to say to Naaman that he is-to-go to the River Jordan and wash himself seven times, and he will-be-cured.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But Elisha did not come to the door. Instead, he sent a messenger to Naaman, to tell him, ‘Go to the Jordan River and wash yourself seven times in the river. Then your skin will be restored/healed, and you will no longer have leprosy.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 5:10

Elisha sent a messenger to him: Presumably Elisha was inside the house, so the messenger did not have very far to go. This may have some bearing on the verb selected in some languages. Even in English, some translations find it is preferable to say “Elisha sent … out…” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, Moffatt).

The direct quotation of Revised Standard Version, which reflects the Hebrew, is changed to indirect discourse in Good News Translation. For some languages this may be a more natural rendering.

The Jordan refers, of course, to a river and this would have been well known to the original readers and hearers. But for readers in other languages it may be wise to add the classifier term, “river” (so Good News Translation, Parole de Vie).

Seven times: The number seven is often used in rituals involving “leprosy.” But it usually has to do with the period of confinement for people having the disease (see Lev 13–14). Here, however, it becomes the number of times the ritual washing must be performed.

Your flesh shall be restored: While this clause comes out as a passive construction in Revised Standard Version, it may be literally rendered “your flesh shall return” or “your flesh shall come back” (similarly Jewish Publication Version). A person suffering from this skin disease finds his flesh eaten away. Healing would restore the tissue that had been destroyed by the disease.

You shall be clean: This seems to focus on ritual purity in addition to the physical healing already mentioned. La Bible Pléiade, therefore, reads “you will be purified” (also in verses 12-14). So it will be better not to summarize the last two statements of this verse in a single clause. In some languages it is difficult to express the concept of ritual purity. In most languages it will be helpful to have an entry in the glossary which explains the concept of purity. Bible en français courant has a glossary entry discussing the terms pure, purity, and purify as follows: “In the Jewish religion, it was necessary to be in a state of purity in order to remain in communion with God and to be able to participate in worship. A person became impure, from a ritual point of view, by eating certain foods, touching certain objects, or by contracting certain diseases; or from a moral point of view, by departing from the commandments of God. Persons, places or objects that became impure could be purified by practicing the rites of purification established for this purpose (see, for example, Lev 12.6-8; 14.1-32).”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .