complete verse (Genesis 41:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 41:3:

  • Kankanaey: “When that was so, there-were again seven cows that came-out, but they were extremely-skinny their ribs being-countable. They reportedly went to the location of the seven good-looking-ones,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then, soon after that, seven other cows, ugly and so thin that one could see their bones, came out and went to stand with the first ones.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Shortly there also came-out seven ugly and thin cows,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Soon seven other cows, unhealthy-looking and thin, came up behind them from the Nile River. They stood alongside the fat cows that were on the riverbank.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 41:3

Behold, seven other cows: behold introduces the next scene in the dream. Good News Translation expresses this with “Then,” Revised English Bible has “Presently,” and New International Version “After them.” Seven other cows means “seven more cows” or “another group of seven cows.”

Gaunt is literally “bad of form” and describes the appearance of these animals as the opposite of sturdy and robust. New Jerusalem Bible calls them “wretched,” New Jerusalem Bible “ugly.” Thin is literally “lean of flesh,” which Good News Translation calls “bony.” In cattle-raising societies there are often numerous terms for degrees of good and bad to choose from.

And stood by the other cows … Nile: the thin cows come up from the water or from the water’s edge. Instead of grazing on the grass, they simply stand near the first group.

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 .