consecrate, consecration

The Greek and Hebrew that are translated as “consecration” or “consecrate” in English is translated in Poqomchi’ as “set apart” (when applying to a ritual not to a moral status). (Source: Robert Bascom)

In Newari it is translated as “make holy” (source: Newari Back Translation) and in Kwere as “put to holy work” when it refers to making someone or something suitable for priestly duties, when it refers to individual consecration outside of the priestly duty, “offer (yourselves) for my sake” is also used. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See also holy / sacred / taboo.

high priest

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “high priest” in English is translated in the following ways:

  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “the ruler of the priests of our nation”
  • Chol: “very great priest” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Ayutla Mixtec: “first over the priests”
  • Desano: “chief of the priests” (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.).
  • Uma: “Big Priest” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “high sacrificer” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa as “Most-important Priest of God” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “Big leader of offerings” (source: Bariai Back Translation)

In Khoekhoe the translation for “high priest” is only capitalized when it refers to Jesus (as is Hebrews 2:17 et al.). (Source: project-specific notes in Paratext)

See also priest and chief priest.

sheep

“Sheep are known throughout most of the world, even though, as in Central Africa, they are a far cry from the fleecy wool-producing animals of colder climates. Where such animals are known, even by seemingly strange names, e.g. ‘cotton deer’ (Yucateco) or ‘woolly goat’ (Inupiaq), such names should be used. In some instances, one may wish to borrow a name and use a classifier, e.g. ‘an animal called sheep’. In still other instances translators have used ‘animal which produces wool’, for though people are not acquainted with the animals they are familiar with wool.” (Source: Bratcher / Nida)

In Dëne Súline, it is usually translated as “an evil little caribou.” To avoid the negative connotation, a loan word from the neighboring South Slavey was used. (Source: NCEM, p. 70)

Note that the often-alleged Inuktitut translation of “sheep” with “seal” is an urban myth (source Nida 1947, p. 136).

See also lamb and sheep / lamb.

priest

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)

Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:

“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”

In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), and in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”

For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:

​​Bau cha r (បូជា‌ចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term “mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ)” used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.

See also idolatrous priests.

complete verse (Nehemiah 3:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Nehemiah 3:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, Eliashib who was high priest together with other priests got going, and (they) began to rebuild the gate which was called Gate of Sheep and made on/for it doors. Then they dedicated it to God. They rebuilt the wall until the tower of Hundred and to the tower of Hananel. (Then) they prepared a feast in which it was dedicated.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The ones-who-built the Gate of the Sheep were Eliasib the leading priest and his fellow priests. After they set-up the gate/door, they dedicated it to God. They also built and dedicated the stone-walls as far as the Tower of the Hundred and Tower of Hananel.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “This is a list/These are the names of the people who helped to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Eliashib the Supreme Priest and the other priests began to rebuild it at the Sheep Gate. They also put the gates in their places. They built the wall as far as the Tower of 100 Soldiers and further north to the Tower of Hananel, and they dedicated it to God.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Nehemiah 3:1

Good News Translation restructures this verse to begin with an opening statement that introduces what is told in the following verses: “This is how the city wall was rebuilt.” Contemporary English Version also restructures the verse to make the account clear and logical, but it retains the emphasis on the participants as in the original text: “These are the people who helped rebuild the wall and gates of Jerusalem.” In addition to restructuring this verse, Good News Translation adds a footnote specifying the direction taken in the rebuilding, and notes that many places named in the text are not known. Some translators may wish to add a similar note for information to the reader.

The description of the builders begins with Eliashib the high priest and his brethren the priests. It was appropriate for the priests to be listed first because they started work at the point closest to the Temple. This showed the cooperation of the priests in the rebuilding of the wall. Eliashib was a grandson of Jeshua, the high priest at the time of the first return of exiles (Ezra 3.2). He was related by marriage to Nehemiah’s opponents (see the comments at Neh 2.10). The high priest was the priest who was anointed and consecrated to follow in the direct line of Aaron (see Lev 16.32; 21.10). He is called in Hebrew the “great priest,” and it was he who represented the people before God. His brethren the priests were “his fellow priests” (Good News Translation). For priests see Ezra 1.5.

Rose up … and they built is an echo of the exhortation in Neh 2.18: “Let us rise up and build.” Rose up does not literally mean “to arise.” This verb is often used in Hebrew for beginning an action. New Revised Standard Version therefore says that they “set to work … and rebuilt,” and New International Version says “went to work and rebuilt.” Good News Translation and other translations say “rebuilt” because the wall had existed once and was now being repaired and built up again (see Ezra 4.12-13).

They rebuilt the Sheep Gate, which was the gate nearest the Temple. It was at the eastern end of the northern wall and was the entrance to Jerusalem from the Jericho road through which sheep were brought to the Temple for sacrifice. There may have been a sheep market near this gate.

They consecrated it and set its doors; they consecrated it: The basic meaning of the Hebrew word for consecrated is “to make holy.” It is strange for this word to be used twice here. In the parallel passages in this chapter where the statement set its doors occurs (verses 3, 6, 13, 14, 15), some other aspect of construction is indicated. It has therefore been suggested that the first of the two references to consecrated is a scribal mistake of confusing one letter in the word and that it should read “boarded” or “laid beams” (so Revised English Bible). There is no textual evidence, however, for this change and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives the Hebrew text a B rating, which is recommended to translators. It is natural that the priests dedicated to God their work, which was adjacent to the Temple. The repetition of the statement of consecration should therefore be retained in the translation, as both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have done (also Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Good News Translation uses the more common English word “dedicated” (also New International Version). In some languages this may be rendered “they set it aside for God” or “they made it pure for God.”

Set its doors means to put the gates in place in the city wall. In English the technical expression is “to hang doors” (so Contemporary English Version) or “to hang gates.” In verse 3 further details of restoring the city gates are given. Some versions like New Jerusalem Bible include details from verse 3 here: “hung its doors, fixed its bolts and bars.” However, translators should follow the Hebrew text of this verse as Revised Standard Version has done.

As far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel: A Tower is usually a tall building that may be used as a lookout point. This was probably the headquarters for a military officer with 100 soldiers under his command. It is not clear why as far as the Tower of the Hundred is immediately followed by as far as the Tower of Hananel. There is no “and” between the two phrases in the Hebrew. Some commentators suggest that something has been omitted in the Hebrew text or that the second phrase may be parenthetical to indicate the location of the first of twin towers. The Tower of Hananel was the most northern point of the city wall and may be part of the Temple fortress in Neh 2.8. Revised Standard Version reproduces the Hebrew syntax, thereby retaining the ambiguity of the original. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives this a B rating. The Revised Standard Version rendering can be read as implying that the Tower of Hananel is another name for the Tower of the Hundred, but this is not so. Good News Translation introduces “and” between the two phrases to express the meaning that it understands. It is suggested that translators add “and” between the two phrases, as Good News Translation and other recent major translations have done (so New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible).

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .