desert / wilderness

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The Greek, Hebrew and Latin that is translated as “desert” or “wilderness” in English is translated in a number of ways:

  • Mairasi: “a place where noisiness is cut off (or: stops)” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Muna: pandaso bhalano pr “big barren-field” (source: René van den Berg)
  • Balinese: “barren field” (source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
  • Wantoat: “uninhabited place” (source: Holzhausen 1991, p. 38)
  • Umiray Dumaget Agta: “where no people dwell” (source: Larson 1998, p. 98)
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “where no house is” (source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
  • Amri Karbi: “waterless region/place” (source: Philippova 2021, p. 368)
  • Ocotlán Zapotec: “large empty place” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Pa’o Karen: “jungle” (denoting a place without any towns, villages and tilled fields) (source: Gordon Luce in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 153f. )
  • Low German translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006: “steppe”
  • Yakan: “the lonely place” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “a land where no people lived” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “the place with no inhabitants” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Matumbi uses various term: lubele (desert, sandy place without water) — used in John 11:54, lupu’ngu’ti (a place where no people live, can be a scrub land, a forest, or a savanna) — used in Mark 1:3 et al.), and mwitu (a forest, a place where wild animals live) — used in Mark 1:13 et al.) (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa Contemporary translation (2002/2016): chipululu: a place uninhabited by people with thick forest and bush (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Note that in Luke 15:4, usually a term is used that denotes pastoral land, such as “eating/grazing-place” in Tagbanwa (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).

See also wilderness and desolate wilderness.

complete verse (Isaiah 35:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 35:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “A person who was lame
    shall jump around like an antelope
    and a person who does not know how to speak
    shall sing/dance with happiness.
    Rivers shall flow in the desert
    and streams shall move in lines
    in the dry land.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then the lame people will jump like deer,
    those who stutter will sing loudly with rejoicing.
    Water will come out, bursting from the ground,
    and a flood will flow in the wilderness.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The lame-one will-leap like a deer, and mute-one will-shout for joy. The water will-gush-forth in the desert, and the streams will-flow in the desolate-place.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Listen to me! You are relying on the army of Egypt. But that will be like using a broken reed for a walking stick on which you could lean. But it would pierce the hand of anyone who would lean on it! That is what the King of Egypt would be like for anyone who relied on him for help.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 35:6

Then shall the lame man leap like a hart: This line and the next one give the next two results of God’s healing power. The word then also introduces them. This line says the person who cannot walk will be able to run like a deer. The Hebrew verb rendered leap is rarely used but does describe the action of a deer that seems to jump as it runs. The Hebrew word for hart refers to a type of deer.

And the tongue of the dumb sing for joy: The person who cannot speak will be able to shout for joy. The Hebrew verb rendered sing for joy occurred earlier in verse 2, where it was translated “singing” (see the comments there). It describes making a lot of noise, especially out of happiness.

For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert: The Hebrew particle ki rendered For probably is an emphatic marker here, so it may be rendered “Indeed” or “Truly.” All the events described in verses 5-10 are the result of God’s saving act, mentioned in verse 4b. Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version believe the particle ki is a logical connector. It introduces the reason why God’s people should be courageous and not afraid: when God rescues them, deserts will turn into well-watered places. It will be a general time of blessing, fully appreciated by the physically impaired who will be healed. Good News Translation, New International Version, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch ignore the particle, which seems to indicate that they treat it as an emphatic marker.

The verb break forth is implied in the last line. Translators may need to repeat the verb or use a synonym, such as “flow” (see the examples below). The origin of the water that breaks forth is not mentioned, but some translators may need to use a verb that specifies where the water comes from. The Hebrew verb here is the same one found in Jdg 15.19 (rendered “split open”) and Psa 74.15 (rendered “cleave open”) in contexts where rocks are split open to provide water. This would not fit the present context. Therefore a term that can apply to water bubbling up out of the ground seems to be the best solution here (see verse 7). If it is necessary in some languages to state who will cause these marvelous things to happen, translators can identify God as the agent (see the first example below).

For wilderness and desert, see Isa 35.1. For the Hebrew word rendered streams, see the comments on 15.7, where it is translated “Brook.”

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Then the lame will jump like a deer,
and the dumb will sing for joy.
Truly, God will cause water to bubble up in the wilderness,
and rivers to flow in the desert.

• Then those who cannot walk will jump like deer,
and those who cannot speak will sing for joy.
Indeed, water will bubble up in the wilderness,
and rivers will flow in the desert.

• Then those who are lame will jump like deer,
and those who are dumb will sing joyously.
Because at the time when God saves you,
water will bubble up in the wilderness,
and rivers will begin to flow in the desert.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .