coat of mail

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “coat of mail” or similar in English is translated in Newari as “iron sheet” (source: Newari Back Translation).

complete verse (Jeremiah 46:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 46:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “Sharpen your swords,
    and put on metals for the chest.
    Tie the ropes of the horses to the chariots
    and climb on the other horses.
    Let (a/each) man take up his chance/opportunity
    and put on hats of metal.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “[You (plur.)] get-ready also your horses. Put on your helmets, sharpen your spears, and put-on your weapons.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Put harnesses on your horses,
    and get on their backs.
    Get into your positions/Line up for the battle;
    put on your helmets.
    Sharpen your spears,
    and put on your armor!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 46:4

Harness the horses; mount, O horsemen!: Harness as a noun or a verb refers to the straps a person puts on a horse so it can pull something. This is most probably a command to hitch the horses to the war chariots, and a good translation would be “Harness your horses and get into your war chariots!” or “Put the straps on your horses so they can pull the war chariots, and mount the chariots.” The rendering of Good News Translation (“Harness your horses and mount them!”) would then not be a good model. For horses see 4.13.

The remainder of the verse describes the soldiers hastily putting on their armor and helmets while falling in line. Some of them take one last opportunity to sharpen (not polish) their spears.

Take your stations with your helmets; that is, “Put your helmets on and take your place for battle.” If helmets are not known, translators can say, for example, “headgear [or, caps] that protect you in battle.”

Coats of mail: It is best to use a general term such as “armor” or, if such is not known in a culture, “the clothing of metal and leather that protects you in battle.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .