idol / idols

The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “idol(s)” in English is translated in Central Subanen as ledawan or “images.” (Source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. )

In German, typically the term Götze is used. Originally this was used as a term of endearment for Gott (“God” — see here ), later for “icon” and “image, likeness.” Luther started to use it in the 16th century in the meaning of “false god, idol.”

Other terms that are used in German include Götzenbild(er) (“image[s] of idols”) or Bildnis (“image” — Protestant) / Kultbild (“cultish image” — Catholic) (used for instance in Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8). The latest revision of the Catholic Einheitsübersetzung (publ. 2016) also uses the neologism Nichtse (“nothings”) in 1 Chron. 16:26 and Psalm 96:5. (Source: Zetzsche)

See also worthless idols.

complete verse (Isaiah 46:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 46:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “Bel kneels and Nebo bends down
    these idols that were worshipped.
    But now animals are carrying (them).
    Those idols weigh heavily on people
    and they are heavy for those animals.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “God Bel bows down in shame, god Nebo kneels down in fear.
    The animals that carry loads will [also] carry their idols.
    And the idols that they carried off
    became difficult, a very heavy load.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The little-gods/false-gods of Babilonia who were Bel and Nebo were-laying-down while being-carried in the chariots that were-being-pulled by the donkeys. They are heavy load on the weary donkeys.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Isaiah 46:1

For Good News Translation the LORD is speaking here, but we prefer the prophet as the speaker in verses 1-2 (so Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

The historical context for verses 1-2 is the attempted escape of the Babylonians from Babylon after they have been defeated. According to these verses, they are loading the idols of their gods onto animals to move them to a safe place. The prophet says that they will not succeed.

Bel bows down, Nebo stoops: Bel, also known as Marduk, was one of Babylonia’s chief gods. Nebo was another one; he was the son of Marduk. Both these gods are mentioned on the Cyrus Cylinder that archeologists discovered in Babylon. There are two possible interpretations for the verbs bows down and stoops in this context. According to one view, these verbs refer to “worship” (see the comments on “bow” at 45.23). But it is not clear whom the Babylonian gods would worship, unless the prophet is speaking ironically of them worshiping themselves. According to another view, these verbs refer to the decline or downfall of the gods, which is the sense we prefer, especially since the next verse says these gods go into captivity. Bible en français courant expresses this meaning by rendering this line as “The god Bel has weakened, the god Nebo bends/weakens,” and so does Good News Translation with “This is the end for Babylon’s gods!” Bible en français courant makes it clear that Bel and Nebo are gods, which is helpful.

Their idols are on beasts and cattle is literally “their idols have become living thing and cattle” or “their idols belong to living thing and cattle.” The second reading is favored by most versions, and is understood to mean “their idols have been placed on beasts and cattle.” When the Babylonians were fleeing Babylon, they loaded the idols of their gods on animals. For the Hebrew word rendered idols, see the comments on 10.11, where it is translated “images.” Good News Translation omits the idea of idols here and only refers to the Babylonian gods, but translators should keep the reference to idols. The Hebrew words for beasts and cattle refer to any animals used for carrying loads in this context. Bible en français courant combines them, saying “beasts of burden,” which is helpful. Good News Translation says “donkeys,” but this is too narrow.

These things you carry are loaded as burdens on weary beasts is literally “the things that were carried around by you [are] loaded a burden for weariness,” which means the idols that the Babylonians once carried around have now been loaded onto the backs of animals, which become tired because of the heavy burden. The pronoun you is plural in Hebrew. It refers to the Babylonian idol worshipers. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch makes this explicit with “You people of Babylon.” New International Version omits this pronoun by rendering you carry as “are carried,” which is a valid model (see also the examples below). The Hebrew words rendered these things you carry and burdens come from the same root. Some commentators assume these things you carry refers to the fact that the idols were carried in procession on festival days and other important occasions. Revised English Bible makes this explicit with “once carried in your processions,” and so does Bible en français courant (1997) with “What was carried in procession.” However, there is no specific evidence of this within the text, so it should not be made so explicit. On weary beasts probably means that these animals became weary because of the load rather than that they were already tired before taking on the load, so a better rendering is “on tiring animals.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Bel bows down, Nebo stoops,
as their idols are placed on beasts of burden;
these idols that were carried around
are [now] loaded as burdens on tiring animals.

• Bel and Nebo bow down,
their images are placed on cattle and other animals;
these images that were carried around
are now burdens, loaded on tiring animals.

• The gods [of Babylonia] called Bel and Nebo
are brought down very low.
Images of them were carried around,
but are now [placed] on animals that carry loads.
These animals grow very tired from the burden of these images.

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 .