complete verse (Joel 2:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joel 2:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “They are raiding (the/a) city
    and running over/on the walls.
    (They) climb houses until (they) enter inside.
    (They) sneak through a window like thieves.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They will attack the city,
    They will run on top of the walls
    and they will enter through the windows of houses
    like thieves.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They attack the city and climb-up/go-up its stone-walls. They climb the houses and they enter/go-inside through the windows like a thief.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Joel 2:9

This verse pictures the locusts entering the city of Jerusalem and getting into everything. The four lines show the order of events. First, They leap upon the city, which refers to the attack. Good News Translation says “They rush against the city,” which fits the figure of an army better. Then they run upon the walls of the city, which in Hebrew could mean they climb up the walls (so NET Bible) or they climb over the walls (so Good News Translation). Next they climb up into the houses, which probably should be understood as their climbing up the outside walls of the houses in order to find a way to enter (so Good News Translation). Finally, they enter through the windows like a thief. The windows had no glass but were openings for letting in light and air. Good News Translation says “thieves” instead of thief for proper English consistency with the pronoun “they.” It will be useful to translate this verse in a way that will retain both the figure of an army and the reality of the swarms of locusts, if that is possible.

Quoted with permission from de Blois, Kees & Dorn, Louis. A Handbook on Joel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .