Ezra

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Ezra” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “scribe” referring to Ezra’s profession. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Ezra” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In Swiss-German Sign Language it is translated with a sign that depicts the return from Babylon to Jerusalem and toward God.


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

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

More information on Ezra .

complete verse (Nehemiah 8:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Nehemiah 8:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “Ezra stood on that constructed platform so that all the people could see him. When Ezra opened the book, all the people stood up.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Ezra can-be-seen by all because where- he -was-standing-on is high. And when he opened-up the book, all the people stood.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Ezra spread-open the book with the people watching, because the place-where-he-was-standing was higher than they. When he opened-it, they all stood-up.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Ezra stood on the platform above the people, where they could all see him. He opened the scroll; and as he did that, all the people stood up, and they continued to stand, to show respect for God’s word.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Nehemiah 8:5

Ezra opened the book: The Hebrew text says that “Ezra opened the writing.” Actually, he unrolled the scroll because the book form had not yet been developed at this time in history.

In the sight of all the people is literally “in the eyes of all the people.” Some languages will use a similar expression. Good News Translation renders this in contemporary English. Bible en français courant simplifies it by saying “everybody saw him,” while New Living Translation says “in full view of all the people.”

For he was above all the people: He stood higher than the people because he was standing on a platform. Good News Translation gives the impression that the platform was high up, but the text does not indicate how high it was above the people.

When he opened it is a temporal clause introducing what happened next. This should be translated to indicate that this was a normal sequence of events, and not an unexpected dramatic development (compare Good News Translation).

All the people stood up as a sign of respect for the word of God. In some languages this will be said “all the people arose and stood.” In other languages a special verb form will be used to show that they did not merely rise and sit down again, but remained standing.

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 .