brothers

“Brothers” has to be translated into Naro as “younger brothers and older brothers” (Tsáá qõea xu hẽé / naka tsáá kíí). All brothers are included this way, also because of the kind of plural that has been used. (Source: Gerrit van Steenbergen)

This also must be more clearly defined in Yucateco as older or younger (suku’un or Iits’in), but here there are both older and younger brothers. Yucateco does have a more general word for close relative, family member. (Source: Robert Bascom)

brother (older brother)

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “brother” in English is translated in Kwere as sekulu, in Elhomwe as mbalaawo´, and in Mandarin Chinese as gēgē (哥哥), both “older brother.”

Note that Kwere also uses lumbu — “older sibling” in some cases. (Source for Kwere and Elhomwe: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext; Chinese: Jost Zetzsche)

See also older brother (Japanese honorifics).

complete verse (Genesis 37:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 37:9:

  • Kankanaey: “When that was so, Jose dreamed again and he again related-it to his siblings. He said, ‘There is that which I again dreamed, and I reportedly saw the sun and the moon and eleven stars who were-kneeling-down to me.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Once more he dreamed another dream. So he told his elder brothers — ‘Look, once more I have dreamed another dream. The sun, moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Jose dreamed again and he told (it) again to his siblings. He said, ‘I dreamed again that I saw the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowing-down to me.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Later he had another dream, and again he told his older brothers about it. He said, ‘Listen to this! I had another dream. In this dream, the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me!'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 37:9

Dreamed another dream: this introduces Joseph’s second dream.

Told it to his brothers: Revised English Bible and others have “his father and his brothers,” which follows the Septuagint. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, which considers the Hebrew text an {A} classification, supports Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. Translators should follow them.

Behold … behold: see the comments on Gen 37.7.

The sun, the moon, and eleven stars: it is clear from Jacob’s response in verse 10 that he and the brothers understand the stars, sun, and moon to refer to Joseph’s eleven brothers and his parents.

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 .