cardinal directions

The cardinal directions “east” and “west” are easy to translate into Maan here since the language uses “where the sun comes up” and “where the sun goes down.” For “north” the translator had “facing toward the sun rising to the left,” and for “south” she had “facing toward the sun rising to the right.” So the listener had to think hard before knowing what direction was in view when translating “to the north and south, to the east and west.” So, in case all four directions are mentioned, it was shortened by saying simply “all directions.” (Source: Don Slager) Likewise, Yakan has “from the four corners of the earth” (source: Yakan back-translation) or Western Bukidnon Manobo “from the four directions here on the earth” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo back-translation).

Kankanaey is “from the coming-out and the going-away of the sun and the north and the south” (source: Kankanaey back-translation), Northern Emberá “from where the sun comes up, from where it falls, from the looking [left] hand, from the real [right] hand” (source: Charles Mortensen), Amele “from the direction of the sun going up, from the direction of the sun going down, from the north and from the south” (source: John Roberts), Ejamat “look up to see the side where the sun comes from, and the side where it sets, and look on your right side, and on your left” (source: David Frank in this blog post ).

In Lamba, only umutulesuŵa, “where the sun rises” and imbonsi, “where the sun sets” were available as cardinal directions that were not tied to the local area of language speakers (“north” is kumausi — “to the Aushi country” — and “south” kumalenje — “to the Lenje country”). So “north” and “south” were introduced as loanwords, nofu and saufu respectively. The whole phrase is kunofu nakusaufu nakumutulesuŵa nakumbonsi. (Source C. M. Doke in The Bible Translator 1958, p. 57ff. )

“West” is translated in Tzeltal as “where the sun pours-out” and in Kele as “down-river” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel).

In Morelos Nahuatl, “north” is translated as “from above” and “south” as “from below.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

In Matumbi cardinal directions are defined as in relation to another place. “East” for instance typically is “toward the beach” since the coast is in the eastern direction in Matumbi-speaking areas. “North” and “south” can be defined as above or below another place. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)

The Hebrew text that gives instructions where to place items in the tabernacle with the help of cardinal directions (north and south) had to be approached in the Bambam translation specific to spacial concepts of that culture.

Phil Campbell explains: “There are no words in Bambam for north and south. In Exodus 26:35, God instructs that the table is to be placed on the north side and the lamp on the south side inside the tabernacle. The team wants to use right and left to tell where the lamp and table are located. In many languages we would say that the table is on the right and the lampstand is on the left based on the view of someone entering the tabernacle. However, that is not how Bambam people view it. They view the placement of things and rooms in a building according to the orientation of someone standing inside the building facing the front of the building. So that means the table is on the left side and the lampstand is on the right side.”

See also cardinal directions / left and right.

complete verse (Genesis 11:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 11:2:

  • Kankanaey: “When they journeyed then to go to the place of the coming-out of the sun, there-was a wide plain at Sinar which they arrived-at and they resided there.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “When they went, proceeding eastward, they arrived at a plain in the country of Assyria. And they settled there.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “While the people were-transferring for a place-to-live eastward, they were-able-to-reach a plain in the place of Shinar, and there they lived.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “As people moved further east, they arrived at a plain in Babylonia region and began to live there.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 11:2

Verse 2 describes the transition of a nomadic people in three steps: departure from their old place of living, discovery of a new home, and settlement in it.

And as men migrated from the east: And translates the same form used as an opener in Gen 11.1. Here, however, it is a clause introducer followed by a verb and may often be rendered in English as “When,” “As,” or “And as.” In some languages, however, it is not possible to introduce new information in a subordinate clause. Men translates the masculine plural suffix “they”; the reference is to the people of verse 1 and should include women. Migrated translates a verb used in connection with pulling up tent pegs in Isa 33.20, part of the process of breaking camp or moving to another location. The picture is of a nomadic people moving from place to place to graze their herds. In some languages this has to be expressed as two actions: “they left where they were staying and went….”

From the east is rendered “in the east” by Good News Translation and New English Bible. New International Version has “moved eastward,” and the New Revised Standard Version footnote gives “migrated eastward” as another understanding of the Hebrew. Interpreters differ as to the direction of movement, and because the Hebrew is not precise, it is possible to understand “toward the east,” “from the east,” or “in the east.” East is often translated, like other directions, in terms of local geography, and in many languages in respect of the sun; that is, “from where the sun rises” or “in the land where the sun rises.”

Found a plain is the second stage in the migration of the people. The Revised Standard Version rendering suggests that they were searching for a place to settle; and if this interpretation is followed, it will affect the translation of the word found in some languages. But most versions have “came to” or “came upon,” which do not convey the idea of searching.

Plain translates a noun that refers to a wide valley or vast level ground, here lying between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which were first mentioned in 2.14; land of Shinar is an expression referring to Babylonia. See comments on 10.10. Bible en français courant translates “a large valley in lower Mesopotamia.” New Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and New American Bible translate “valley.” In many tropical areas valleys between mountain ranges are common, whereas large areas of flat land may be less familiar. In some areas the equivalent will be the “grasslands,” since these are not covered by forests. The name “Babylonia” is identified as a “country” or “region” in many translations.

And settled there is the third and final stage of the migration. Settled translates a verb whose unmarked meaning is “sit down.” In this context the meaning is to live, dwell, and in relation to a people who are making an area their permanent dwelling (they are about to build a city), settled is appropriate in English. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch retains the picture of a nomadic people by saying “After they departed from the east, they came to the country of Shinar and pitched their tents on the plain.” In some languages the idea of settled requires saying “They built their houses and lived…” or “They put down all their loads and planted their crops.” One translation says “They made their place [village] there.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .