elder (of the community)

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated as “elders” in English is translated in the Danish Bibelen 2020 as folkets ledere or “leaders of the people.”

Martin Ehrensvärd, one of the translators, explains: “The term ‘elder’ turned out to pose a particularly thorny problem. In traditional bibles, you can find elders all of over the place and they never pose a problem for a translator, they are just always elders. But how to find a contemporary term for this semi-official, complex position? This may have been our longest-standing problem. A couple of times we thought we had the solution, and then implemented it throughout the texts, only to find out that it didn’t work. Like when we used city council or village council, depending on the context. In the end we felt that the texts didn’t work with such official terms, and throughout the years in the desert, these terms didn’t make much sense. Other suggestions were ‘the eldest and wisest’, ‘the respected citizens’, ‘the Israelites with a certain position in society’, ‘the elder council’ –- and let me point out that these terms sound better in Danish than in English (‘de fremtrædende borgere,’ ‘de mest fremtrædende israelitter,’ ‘alle israelitter med en vis position,’ ‘de ældste og de klogeste,’ ‘ældsterådet’). In the end we just said ‘leaders of the people.’ After a lot of hand-wringing, it turned out that we actually found a term that worked well. So, we had to give up conveying the fact that they were old, but the most important point is that they were community leaders.” (Source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )

The German das Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022) translates likewise as “leader of the people” (Anführer des Volkes).

complete verse (Deuteronomy 32:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 32:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “Think about the days that have passed,
    the years of the old age-sets/generations.
    Ask you father so that he may show you,
    ask your elders so that can tell you.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Remember the things of old, ask your parents,
    what happened earlier.
    Ask the ones who are older than you,
    They will tell you of the former things.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You (plur.) remember the years that had-past; you (plur.) think the generations that had-past.
    You (plur.) ask your (plur.) ancestors what had-happened for they will-tell you (plur.).
    You (plur.) ask your (plur.) (the) ones-who-rule for they will-make- (it) -clear to you (plur.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘Think about what happened long ago;
    consider what happened to your ancestors.
    Ask your parents, and they will inform you;
    ask the older people, and they will tell you.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 32:7

Here begins the presentation or prosecution speech (verses 7-14), in which Yahweh’s good actions on behalf of the people are described.

Remember … consider: two verbs that are close in meaning; remember means to “think back,” to “recall”; to consider is to “ponder,” or “reflect.”

The days of old … the years of many generations: again two expressions that are very close in meaning. See similar language in 4.32. Once more the translator is reminded that if two similar expressions like this seem artificial and unnatural, one will do. Good News Translation has “think of the past, of the time long ago”; but Contemporary English Version combines the two lines, with “Think about past generations.”

Ask your father … your elders: two terms for older people; elders here is used in the sense of “older people.” And father is not necessarily only the male parent; see Contemporary English Version “your parents or any of your elders.”

Show you … tell you: again two verbs that mean exactly the same thing. We may combine the two lines as follows: “They will tell you.” However, in some languages it will be necessary to give the content of “tell”; for example, “They will tell you about those days long ago.” The final part of the verse may then be translated as:

• Ask your parents or any of the older people.
They will tell you about those days long ago.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .