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)

Joseph

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)


“Joseph” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Joseph .

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

complete verse (Genesis 50:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 50:14:

  • Newari: “After burying his father, Joseph, his brothers and all who had come with him, came back to Egypt.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “After the burial, Jose returned to Egipto with his siblings/(brothers) and all who went-with/accompanied-(them) to the burial.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “After he had buried his father, Joseph and his older brothers and younger brother and all the others who had gone up to Canaan with him for the funeral returned to Egypt.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 50:14

In verse 14 Joseph appears again as the leading figure.

After he had buried his father: the Hebrew text says “Joseph returned and his brothers and all those who went with him to bury his father after he buried his father.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates “to bury his father … buried his father” as an {A} and supports Revised Standard Version‘s rendering, which improves on the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project model. However, Good News Translation, which replaces the final “to bury his father” with “for the funeral,” is a better English language model.

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 .