cobra

There is general agreement among modern scholars that the word pethen refers to the cobra, since the word is closely associated with snake charming, which requires a snake that can raise the front part of its body vertically, something a viper cannot do. The words tsif‘oni and tsefa‘ are also probably references to a type of cobra. This can be well supported by the contexts in which the word occurs, in which reference is made to the fact that it lives in holes and lays eggs. These contexts would rule out any of the vipers.

There is some evidence that pethen was the earlier name for the cobra, and tsefa‘ and tsif‘oni were later names. Something similar is the case with English, where “cobra” has been in use only for the last one hundred years, and previously “asp” was used.

“Adder” is used as the name for some of the subspecies of viper and is probably not the best word to translate these three Hebrew words.

Cobras are characterized by their ability to spread the ribs in their neck area, so as to form a broad flat profile called the hood. This makes the snake look much thicker than it really is. Cobras also have short fixed fangs in the front of their mouths. The cobra that is found in the land of Israel is the Desert Cobra or Walter Innes’s snake (Walterinnesia aegyptia), while the cobra found in Egypt is the Egyptian Cobra Naja haje. The cobra is a large snake, reaching 2 meters (6 feet) in length, and about 50 millimeters (2 inches) in diameter. It is dark brown with a yellowish underside. In some areas where it is found it has broad yellowish bands, which give it its alternative English name, banded cobra. When it rears up and spreads its hood, the hood has a yellowish background, but displays a broad dark brown horizontal stripe.

Its bite is very poisonous, and it takes quick effect, acting on the nervous system. The cobra feeds on mice, gerbils, birds, bird’s eggs, lizards, frogs, and other snakes. It hunts by following scent trails, which it senses with its tongue. When within range of its prey, it raises its head slowly vertically, and suddenly strikes at the unsuspecting victim. It lives mainly in grassland and where the vegetation is fairly thick. It takes cover in rat holes, holes in eroded banks, hollow trees, under logs, and among exposed roots. It may lay its eggs in any of these sheltered places. In cold weather it coils itself up to preserve its body heat.

The cobra, besides being a symbol of lurking danger, was also closely associated with Egypt. In some poetic passages, therefore, it is a metaphor for the enemies of Israel, Egypt in particular.

The Egyptian cobra is found all over Africa, and a local word should not be difficult to find. In South and Southeast Asia a word for the King Cobra Naja hannah or one of the other cobras would be a good equivalent. In areas where these cobras are symbols of good luck and the presence of a deity, the Hebrew symbolism might need to be explained in a footnote. In other parts of the world, if cobras are unknown, the name of a local long poisonous snake of a type different from vipers and adders is a possible choice.

In passages where snakes are referred to as “stinging”, it is not necessary to use a verb meaning literally “to sting”. This is just the Hebrew way of referring to the bite of a snake. In many languages the verb used for a snake’s bite is different from the one used to refer to the bite of something else, such as a dog.

Desert cobra, Wikimedia Commons
Egyptian cobra, Wikimedia Commons

Source: All Creatures Great and Small: Living things in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators)

See also flying fiery serpent, adder / serpent / asp / viper, and serpent.

complete verse (Romans 3:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 3:13:

  • Uma: “‘Their words are dirty and shameful, Deceiving words appear on their lips.’ ‘Their words hurt the hearts of others, like the bite of a dalimoo’ [small poisonous snake].'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Their words are not good, like figuratively a grave not covered having a rotten odor. They always lie. Their words when they slander their companions are very venomous like a snake’s venom when it strikes, because their words really destroy.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “What they talk about is very ugly and filthy. It’s like the stink from a grave that has not been covered up. They are liars, and what they say is like the sting of a snake, because it causes their companion’s breath to be very painful (it hurts the feelings of their companions).” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Their mouths are like stinking graves, because the words they utter (lit. cause-to-come-out) are filthy. They use their words to deceive their fellows and what they say is destructive like the poison of a snake.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “When people speak, it is like there has been opened up where a corpse is placed. Like this is the badness of the word they speak. All is lies they speak. Death accompanies their words, like a poisonous snake when it bites a person has poison where it bites.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Hopi: “Their throat is like an open grave. Dirty words come therefrom. By their tongue they deceive people. Their words are like the poison of rattlesnakes.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

For the Old Testament quote, see Psalm 140:3.

Translation commentary on Romans 3:13

The first two lines of this verse come from Psalm 5.9 (v. 10 in some versions, e.g. New American Bible). The first line is transformed from a metaphor (literally “their throat is an open grave”) to a simile, their mouths are like an open grave. The last line of this verse comes from Psalm 140.3 and is connected in the Good News Translation with the preceding line. Wicked lies roll off their tongues is literally “with their tongues they deceive”; while and deadly words, like snake’s poison, from their lips goes back to “the poison of snakes is under their lips.” The Psalmist is comparing the words of his enemies to the poison of snakes, and the Good News Translation makes this comparison clear for its readers.

The figures of speech in this verse are difficult to translate in such a way as to make them meaningful. Their mouths are like an open grave can be understood in the sense that “their breath is so bad that it smells like a rotting corpse,” but that is not the meaning of the passage. The focus here is rather upon the death which is caused by what men say. Accordingly, in some languages, the first line of verse 13 may be rendered as “by their words they cause death.” One may, of course, employ in some languages an idiom such as “their mouths kill,” but it must be perfectly clear in a receptor language that the mouth is to be regarded as the organ of speech and therefore it is by speech that men are killed or destroyed. The same type of problem exists in the second line of verse 13, since in some languages one does not speak of the tongue as being the instrument of speech. Some receptor languages identify speech with the lips, others with the mouth, still others with the throat, while some do use the tongue in this figurative sense. It may be necessary, therefore, to say “with the throat men speak wicked lies” or “with their lips men utter wicked words.”

Deadly words are “words which cause death” or “… cause people to be killed.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .