The Bible Translator: Volume 26, Issue 1

Of many cruces interpretum in translating the Bible, one is the translation of the OT phrase, Yahweh sebaoth. The views of theologians are summarized concerning the primary and secondary ideas associated with the phrase and the question about translating it into other languages posed. The conclusion is that “sovereign Lord of all” is more accurate than any translation which allows the secondary meaning of a God of war. View Less

The basis for the presupposition that Matthew is interested in Jesus’ teaching ministry is set forth; and then notes on the text which might be helpful to translators are made for Matt. 5:1–12. View Less

A view of the relation of structural semantics to the problems of translation set in a matrix of the recognition of two dichotomies, that between cognitive and emotive aspects of meaning and that involving linguistic and nonlinguistic aspects. Discusses four ways in which lexical units are related to one another. There are other factors to be analyzed, namely the implications of words and the inferences of words. In translation these various components are frequently rearranged, but the essential content cannot be changed. View Less

Among the group of translators working on a Cambodian translation of the Bible were a group of poets and musicians who were able to take a good prose translation and emphasize the poetic nature of the original. The example given is the translation of the Beatitudes. View Less

The state of Bible translations into Russian is outlined as the basis for the formation in 1969 of the Leningrad Bible Group. Their task is set by the problems of past translations and is guided by three principles: (1) the use of a Greek original, (2) the use of modern, literary Russian; and (3) the rejection of formal literalism. View Less

A. Osipoff, in quoting a book by Evseev, misrepresented Evseev’s position which, while it had regard for the work of Bible translation, insisted that Russian Bible translation worked from an artificial text and used a backward, bookish language which was dry and impersonal. This article is an attempt to present the true position of Evseev. View Less

A variety of translations of Acts 27:18–19 brings the understanding of the text into question and asks for a retranslation. An acceptable translation would read: “The violent storm continued, so on the next day, they tried to hoist the ship’s heavy equipment overboard; on the third day, by manhandling it, they finally succeeded.” This translation is supported. View Less

Discusses the translation of the phrase kath’ hyperbolen (“violently,” RSV) in Gal. 1:13. The reference is not to intensity of violence, but the intensity of zeal, “to an extraordinary degree." View Less

In 1962 the first part of a new Jewish translation of the Hebrew Bible began. The books that have been completed are discussed both in terms of format and quality of the translation. The translation is conservative, problems in the text being treated in one of three ways: (1) assigning a new meaning to the Hebrew word; (2) preserving the consonantal text but changing the vowels; (3) recognizing some words to be obscure. The style is literary, but not always modern. View Less