light dawning

The now commonly-used German idiom ein Licht aufgehen, which means that someone has suddenly understood something (literally “a light is dawning”), was made popular in 1534 in the German Bible translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 83)

For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

happiness / joy

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.

Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also Seat of the Mind / Seat of Emotions, rejoiced greatly / celebrated, the Mossi translation of “righteous”, and joy.

joy

Click here to view graphically

The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is translated with “joy” or “gladness” in English is translated with various strategies:

  • Baoulé: “a song in the stomach” (see also peace (inner peace))
  • Bambara: “the spirit is made sweet”
  • Kpelle: “sweet heart”
  • Tzeltal: “the good taste of one’s heart”
  • Uduk: “good to the stomach”
  • Mískito: “the liver is wide open” (“happily letting the pleasures flooding in upon it”) (source for this and above: Nida 1952)
  • Mairasi: “good liver” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Noongar: koort-kwabba-djil or “heart very good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “refreshed heart” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).

See also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling,” happiness / joy, and exceeding joy.

complete verse (Psalm 97:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 97:11:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Light arrives on the righteous people,
    and joy to the righteous hearted.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Light has been shed upon the righteous,
    and joy on the good people.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “The goodness of God (is) like a sun that shines upon the righteous
    and this gives joy to them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “The light shine on people who do right matter,
    and the happiness is seen of the people who are white in their hearts.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Nuru inawamurikia wanyofu,
    furaha ya weupe katika moyo.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “His light shines on righteous people;
    he causes those who are righteous to rejoice.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

righteous, righteousness

Click here to view graphically

The Greek, Hebrew, and Latin terms that are translated in English mostly as “righteous” as an adjective or personified noun or “righteousness” (also as “upright(ness)” and “just(ice)”) are most commonly expressed with concept of “straightness,” though this may be expressed in a number of ways. (Click or tap here to see the details)

Following is a list of (back-) translations of various languages:

  • Bambara, Southern Bobo Madaré, Chokwe (ululi), Amganad Ifugao, Chol, Eastern Maninkakan, Toraja-Sa’dan, Pamona, Batak Toba, Bilua, Tiv: “be straight”
  • Laka: “follow the straight way” or “to straight-straight” (a reduplicated form for emphasis)
  • Sayula Popoluca: “walk straight”
  • Highland Puebla Nahuatl, Kekchí, Muna: “have a straight heart”
  • Kipsigis: “do the truth”
  • Mezquital Otomi: “do according to the truth”
  • Huautla Mazatec: “have truth”
  • Yine: “fulfill what one should do”
  • Indonesian: “be true”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “do just so”
  • Anuak: “do as it should be”
  • Mossi: “have a white stomach” (see also happiness / joy)
  • Paasaal: “white heart” (source: Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)
  • (San Mateo del Mar Huave: “completely good” (the translation does not imply sinless perfection)
  • Nuer: “way of right” (“there is a complex concept of “right” vs. ‘left’ in Nuer where ‘right’ indicates that which is masculine, strong, good, and moral, and ‘left’ denotes what is feminine, weak, and sinful (a strictly masculine viewpoint!) The ‘way of right’ is therefore righteousness, but of course women may also attain this way, for the opposition is more classificatory than descriptive.”) (This and all above from Bratcher / Nida except for Bilua: Carl Gross; Tiv: Rob Koops; Muna: René van den Berg)
  • Central Subanen: “wise-good” (source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. )
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “live well”
  • Mezquital Otomi: “goodness before the face of God” (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl: “the result of heart-straightening” (source: Nida 1947, p. 224)
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “entirely good” (when referred to God), “do good” or “not be a debtor as God sees one” (when referred to people)
  • Carib: “level”
  • Tzotzil: “straight-hearted”
  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “right and straight”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “walk straight” (source for this and four previous: John Beekman in Notes on Translation November 1964, p. 1-22)
  • Makonde: “doing what God wants” (in a context of us doing) and “be good in God’s eyes” (in the context of being made righteous by God) (note that justify / justification is translated as “to be made good in the eyes of God.” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
  • Aari: The Pauline word for “righteous” is generally rendered by “makes one without sin” in the Aari, sometimes “before God” is added for clarity. (Source: Loren Bliese)
  • North Alaskan Inupiatun: “having sin taken away” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 144)
  • Nyamwezi: wa lole: “just” or “someone who follows the law of God” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Venda: “nothing wrong, OK” (Source: J.A. van Roy in The Bible Translator 1972, p. 418ff. )
  • Ekari: maakodo bokouto or “enormous truth” (the same word that is also used for “truth“; bokouto — “enormous” — is being used as an attribute for abstract nouns to denote that they are of God [see also here]; source: Marion Doble in The Bible Translator 1963, p. 37ff. ).
  • Guhu-Samane: pobi or “right” (also: “right (side),” “(legal) right,” “straightness,” “correction,” “south,” “possession,” “pertinence,” “kingdom,” “fame,” “information,” or “speech” — “According to [Guhu-Samane] thinking there is a common core of meaning among all these glosses. Even from an English point of view the first five can be seen to be closely related, simply because of their similarity in English. However, from that point the nuances of meaning are not so apparent. They relate in some such a fashion as this: As one faces the morning sun, south lies to the right hand (as north lies to the left); then at one’s right hand are his possessions and whatever pertains to him; thus, a rich man’s many possessions and scope of power and influence is his kingdom; so, the rich and other important people encounter fame; and all of this spreads as information and forms most of the framework of the people’s speech.”) (Source: Ernest Richert in Notes on Translation 1964, p. 11ff.)
  • German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): Gerechtheit, a neologism to differentiate it from the commonly-used Gerechtigkeit which can mean “righteousness” but is more often used in modern German as “fairness” (Berger / Nord especially use Gerechtheit in Letter to the Romans) or Gerechtestun, also a neologism, meaning “righteous deeds” (especially in Letter to the Ephesians)
  • “did what he should” (Eastern Highland Otomi)
  • “a clear man, good [man]” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004)

See also respectable, righteous, righteous (person), devout, and She is more in the right(eous) than I.

Translation commentary on Psalm 97:11 - 97:12

In verse 11a the Masoretic text has “Light is sown,” a statement found nowhere else in the Old Testament; Good News Translation follows one Hebrew manuscript (and the Septuagint, the Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate) “shines” (so Bible de Jérusalem, New Jerusalem Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Bible en français courant, Revised Standard Version, and others); New English Bible has “A harvest of light is sown for the righteous”; New Jerusalem Bible has “Light is sown for the righteous.” Again Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (“C” decision) opts for the Masoretic text, justifying its decision by referring to Factors 12 (“Other scribal errors”) and 4 (“Simplification of the text”). New International Version translates “Light is shed upon the righteous,” without indicating any textual problem. Light here is, as elsewhere, a figure for God’s salvation, his goodness, his blessing on his people (see 27.1). In verse 11b the upright in heart (see 7.10) is parallel with the righteous in verse 11a.

In languages in which Light dawns for the righteous will simply mean that “the sun comes up where there are righteous people,” the clause must be recast as in Good News Translation. However, in some languages the metaphor of light shining on someone without naming the source of the light will likely be misunderstood. Therefore it may be necessary to shift to a simile and say, for example, “God’s goodness shines like a light on his righteous people.” Line b may be taken as a consequence of line a; for example, “and this brings joy to those who are good.”

In verse 12 Good News Translation, as elsewhere, represents in the LORD by “because of what the LORD has done.” And the Hebrew of the last part of verse 12 is “and give thanks to his holy memorial,” which Good News Translation translates “Remember what the holy God has done, and give thanks to him” (see similar language in 30.4b). But many take the Hebrew “memorial” here to be the equivalent of “name” (as in Exo 3.15; so Anderson); so Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, New American Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Dahood. This may be preferable. New Jerusalem Bible has “his unforgettable holiness” (similarly King James Version “give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness”). In some languages it will be necessary to go further than Good News Translation by saying “because of what the LORD has done for you.” Verse 12a and b as restructured in Good News Translation are a command followed by a reason. In some languages this order will be more natural when reversed.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .