The term that is transliterated as “Joseph” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that relates to a) the coat he wore (see Gen 37:3), b) the holding of his clothes by Potiphar’s wife (see Gen 39:12), and c) the many times Joseph experienced grief. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Joseph” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign that signifies “dream,” referring to Jacob’s dream at Bethel (see Genesis 28:10 and the following verses). (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 33:16:
Kupsabiny: “Let every good thing fill up their land, and may God who revealed himself in a bush love him. Let these blessings fall on the people of Joseph the one who was great among his brothers.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “The earth and the good gifts in it of which it is full, and the love of the One who was in the burning bush, may the tribe of Joseph have all of these. They are the chief of their brothers.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “May-it-be that their land will-produce the finest/best products by the goodness of God who appeared in a burning bush. May these blessings will-remain in the tribe of Jose for he is above among his brothers.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “and that their land will be have many good crops, blessed by Yahweh, the one who appeared to me in a burning bush. I desire/hope that Yahweh will bless the tribes of Joseph in all those ways, because he was the leaders of his older brothers when they were in Egypt.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, o-rare-ru (おられる) or “is/be present” is used.
The best gifts of the earth and its fulness: this is a summary statement; it means everything that grows—crops, vineyards, fruit trees. The phrase the earth and its fulness means the ability of the earth to bring forth bumper crops: “this rich [or, fertile] land.” BÍBLIA para todos Edição Comum translates “the rich yield of the land and everything it produces”; or we may say “all the best things that the land can produce.”
The favor of him that dwelt in the bush: this is a reference to the events narrated in Exo 3.1-6. The idea of God living in the bush is a bit strange; the Septuagint translates “who was seen in the bush.” Good News Translation is justified, in terms of what actually happened, in translating “who spoke from the burning bush.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh translates “the Presence in the bush,” and Bible en français courant “the favor of the God present in the bush.” Another possibility is Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, “the God who appeared in the burning bush” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Either this, or “… of God, who appeared…” is recommended as a model for translators.
Let these come upon the head … upon the crown of the head: these have the same meaning. New Revised Standard Version “on the brow” for the second expression (also New International Version) may be better than “the crown,” which is the top of the head, not a king’s or queen’s headwear.
Joseph is described as prince among his brothers, that is, the leader or the most outstanding one. The Hebrew word translated prince may in some contexts mean “Nazirite,” that is, someone who is dedicated to God (see the story of Samson in Judges 13.5, 7); so New Jerusalem Bible has “the consecrated one.” However, it is better to say “leader” (Good News Translation). An alternative rendering for the second part of this verse is:
• I ask that all these things happen
to the people of the tribe of Joseph,
because he [Joseph] was the leader
among his brothers.
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 .
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