Ixcatlán Mazatec: “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom)
Noongar: dwangka-boola, lit. “ear much” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018 — see also remember)
Kwere “to know how to live well” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Dobel: “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes)
Gbaya: iŋa-mgbara-mɔ or “knowing-about-things” (note that in comparison to that, “knowledge” is translated as iŋa-mɔ or “knowing things”) (source: Philip Noss in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 114ff. )
Chichewa: nzeru, meaning both “knowledge” and “wisdom” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
There is considerable doubt about the meaning of the word sekwi. However, the rendering “cock” or “rooster” has support from the Vulgate and one of the Targums, as well as the majority of commentaries. In the context of Job 38:36 the reference seems to be to the way in which the ibis is able to announce the flooding of the Nile, and the rooster is able to announce the coming of the dawn. Both of these abilities are mentioned quite often in Egyptian literature.
The word zarzir is probably related to a word meaning “narrow waisted,” but most commentaries and translations interpret this as a reference to the rooster.
The Greek word ornis and the Latin word gallina mean “hen,” and the Greek words nossia and nossion mean “chick,” that is, a baby fowl.
All modern domestic fowls are descended from the jungle fowl of India, Southeast Asia, and China. These were domesticated very early in the history of that region, almost as soon as the farming of rice and other grains began. According to the Talmud, it was forbidden to keep domestic poultry in Jerusalem, but there is evidence from ancient Hebrew seals that chickens were known in the land as early as 600 B.C. The reference to the cock crowing on the night of the crucifixion would indicate that chickens were kept near, if not in, Jerusalem.
Ancient domestic fowls would still have looked very much like the Jungle Fowl Gallus gallus from which they were descended. Jungle fowl roosters are dark, brownish red, with orange-red neck hackles, a smallish red comb on the top of their heads, and red lappets on each side under the beak. They have a white spot on their backs near the base of their long glossy black and green tails. The hens are a lighter brownish red, have no white spot or long tail, and have a smaller comb on their heads.
Domestic fowl had connotations of fertility to the Egyptians and Persians. This seems to have been adopted later in Judaism, since it became the practice to carry a cock and a hen in front of the bride and groom at a wedding. However, their significance in the Bible seems related to the fact that cocks crow very early in the morning, thus announcing the coming dawn before humans are aware of it.
Domestic fowl have now spread around the world and are well-known, apart from some areas of the tundra region.
The words sekwi, zarzir, alektruōn, and alektōr are probably best translated as “rooster,” ornis as “hen,” and nossion and nossia as “chickens.” In some languages where roosters and hens are not normally differentiated, it may not be necessary to do so in the gospel passages, since the verb “crow” will usually be sufficient context to make the meaning clear. However, in the Job and Proverbs passages it may still be necessary in some languages to say something like “male chicken.”
Who has put wisdom in the clouds…? is clear except for the words translated as clouds in line a and mists in line b. The Revised Standard Version note says the meaning of both words is uncertain. The suggestions put forth by interpreters are numerous and confusing, but there are four major lines of interpretation: (1) psychological terms such as New Jerusalem Bible “hidden parts” and “mind,” or New English Bible “darkness” and “secrecy”; (2) meteorological (weather) terms such as Revised Standard Version “clouds” and “mist”; (3) mythological terms: Pope has “Thoth,” the Egyptian God, and “Sekwi,” the Coptic name for Mercury; (4) zoological terms (names of creatures) such as Dhorme “ibis” and “cock.” Good News Translation has followed the lead of Dhorme and made the wisdom of the “ibis” and “cock” specific by “… ibis when the Nile will flood or … rooster that rain will fall.” Good News Translation also gives a note on the “ibis” and a note on the Hebrew text of this verse. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project admits the possibility of the meanings “ibis” and “cock,” but denies the possibility of psychological meanings such as “inward parts” and “heart.” Rowley, who summarizes many views, concludes “while there can be no certainty of the meaning, Revised Standard Version gives the most probable sense.” The meteorological line of interpretation seems to fit the context of verses 34-38 best. However, Good News Translation cannot be ruled out and is secondarily based on weather conditions. If the translator follows Revised Standard Version, the expression put wisdom in the clouds may have to be restructured to say, for example, “Who has enabled the clouds to rain?” or “Who has made the clouds so that they know how to rain?” The second line may be rendered as “And who has shown the mist how to rise?” If these solutions are not satisfactory, translators may be able to follow a widely-used version of the language area.
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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