Jeremiah

The name that is transliterated as “Jeremiah” in English is translated in American Sign Language with the sign signifying “prophet (seeing into the future)” and “crying.” (Source: Phil King in Journal of Translation 16/2 2020, p. 33ff.)


“Jeremiah” in American Sign Language (source )

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with a sign that depicts to lament often.


“Jeremiah” in Swiss-German Sign Language, source: DSGS-Lexikon biblischer Begriffe , © CGG Schweiz

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jeremiah .

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 (Jeremiah 51:61)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 51:61:

  • Kupsabiny: “I said to Seraiah, ‘When you (sing.) arrive in Babylon, read these words to all the people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “This is what Jeremias said to Seraya, ‘When you get/arrive to Babilonia, make-sure you read aloud to the people what has- been -written in this rolled-up writing/scroll.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “He said to Seraiah, ‘When you arrive in Babylon, read aloud everything that I have written on this scroll.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 51:61

For the third time in as many verses Jeremiah is mentioned by name. Most languages will have introduced a pronoun to refer to Jeremiah by this point.

When you come to Babylon: For many languages, “When you arrive in Babylon” will be more natural.

See that you read all these words: Since this is a reference to oral reading of a text to others, translators may need to follow the pattern of Good News Translation: “be sure to read aloud to the people….”

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 .