Translating Nephesh in the Psalms into Chinese

Hui Er Yu

Description

This interdisciplinary study tackles the controversy of translating nephesh ( נפֶֶשׁ ) by using an intergenerational translation team to deepen our understanding of this term and providing a more valuable translation in Chinese, especially for use in specialist Children’s Bibles.
Traditionally nephesh is often translated in the Bible as ‘soul’, but despite the limitations of this popular rendering, it has led Christians in Chinese contexts to falsely understand views regarding the nature of human beings as a trichotomy. Dr Hui Er Yu’s study offers different options for translating nephesh using the context of where the word appears in Scripture as well as in reference to linguistic and cultural meanings in Chinese contexts. The findings in this book will help to remove anthropological misunderstandings among many Chinese Christians related to nephesh as a result of historic translation decisions.
Dr Yu takes a unique approach to translation by using an intergenerational Bible translation team, ranging from seven to fifty-one years of age, which not only demonstrates the importance of intergenerational ministry but also presents a way to fulfill the growing need for well-translated Children’s Bibles in China for thousands of young believers. This book provides important lessons for the many translation projects working towards Children’s Bibles but also for how translation of biblical terms can be better reached through this intergenerational process.

Informations

• Publié par: Langham Creative Projects
• Date de parution: 04 septembre 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783684700
• Langue: English

Extrait

Hui Er Yu’s research provides a contextualized theory of Bible translation for the Chinese-speaking world and demonstrates how to apply this theory, which is based on Ernst Wendland’s Literary Functional Equivalence (LiFE) model, in translating biblical poetry. The research provides an updated mapping of the possible meanings of the Hebrew word נֶפֶשׁ ‎, a key anthropological term in the ancient Semitic world and in the Old Testament. This exploration is valuable for linguistics, for Bible translation and for contemporary theological anthropology, especially in Chinese Christianity where the misunderstanding of this term is deeply entrenched. The most remarkable aspect of Dr Yu’s research is that she pioneered the inclusion of children and youth in an intergenerational Bible translation team. This not only challenges the traditional understanding of the role of children in Christian ministry but practically shows how to optimize and integrate their contribution in the very sophisticated enterprise of Bible translation.
Johannes Malherbe, PhD
Head of Academics, Postgraduate School,
South African Theological Seminary, Sandton, South Africa
The principles and procedures that undergird the new field of intergenerational ministry are fresh and appealing. This work will be of benefit, especially to those who are interested in interdisciplinary study, as it yields proper biblical insights into anthropology and places considerable worth on the task of accurate Bible translation and rigorous textual analysis. For that we can be grateful to its author.
Dennis Ngien, PhD
Professor of Systematic Theology,
Tyndale University College and Seminary, Toronto
Research Professor, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, Canada
It is a great pleasure to endorse the work of a person who is very gifted with biblical languages and research. The interpretation and translation of the Hebrew noun “nephesh” has been an issue among various Chinese versions. Thus, the Chinese church has been deeply influenced by the popular “trichotomy” of Watchman Nee. Dr Yu’s work opens a new door for Chinese Bible translation by clarifying the various concepts of the word “nephesh.” She also provides concrete suggestions for some biblical passages and with the help of her work, we may expect progress for the Chinese translations of the Bible.
Kyungrae Kim, PhD
Vice President and Academic Dean,
Faith Bible Seminary, Flushing, New York, USA
Describing the history of the approach to Bible translation in general and specifically the history of Chinese Bible translation, Hui Er Yu applies insights from the various disciplines to reach conclusions that highlight important ways in which the insights can be applied to provide accurate and effective translations of the Bible. She is to be particularly commended for bringing children into the conversation about Bible translation.
Véroni Krüger, PhD
Founder-President, The Word for the World Bible Translators

Translating Nephesh in the Psalms into Chinese
An Exercise in Intergenerational, Literary Bible Translation
Hui Er Yu

© 2018 Hui Er Yu
Published 2018 by Langham Monographs
An imprint of Langham Publishing
Langham Partnership
PO Box 296, Carlisle, Cumbria CA3 9WZ, UK
www.langham.org
ISBNs:
978-1-78368-469-4 Print
978-1-78368-470-0 ePub
978-1-78368-471-7 Mobi
978-1-78368-472-4 PDF
Hui Er Yu has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the Author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher or the Copyright Licensing Agency.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-78368-469-4
Cover & Book Design: projectluz.com
Langham Partnership actively supports theological dialogue and an author’s right to publish but does not necessarily endorse the views and opinions set forth here or in works referenced within this publication, nor can we guarantee technical and grammatical correctness. Langham Partnership does not accept any responsibility or liability to persons or property as a consequence of the reading, use or interpretation of its published content.

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Contents

Cover


Foreword


Preface


Acknowledgements


Abstract


List of Abbreviations


Chapter 1 Introduction


1.1 The Gap


1.2 Bridging the Gap


1.3 Objectives of the Study


1.4 Outline


1.5 Hypothesis


1.6 Key Terms


1.7 Delimitations


1.8 Presuppositions


1.9 Potential Value


Chapter 2 A Literary Approach to Bible Translation


2.1. Introduction


2.2. The History and Major Issues of Bible Translation


2.3 The Development of Translation Studies


2.4 Conclusion


Chapter 3 Children as Crucial Members of an Intergenerational Bible Translation Team


3.1 Introduction


3.2 An Overview of Childhood Studies


3.3 Insights from Childhood Studies for the Present Research


3.4 Intentional Intergenerational Ministry


3.5 Conclusion


Chapter 4 The Possible Meanings of the Hebrew Word נֶפֶשׁ in the OT and Its Translation in Chinese


4.1 Introduction


4.2 A Brief Literature Review of the Hebrew Word נֶפֶשׁ


4.3 The Interpretations of נֶפֶשׁ in Chinese Bible Versions


4.4 The Divergence in the Interpretations of נֶפֶשׁ


4.5 The Controversy over Watchman Nee ’s Trichotomy


4.6 A Call for Reconsidering the Translation of נֶפֶשׁ


Chapter 5 Translating נֶפֶשׁ in the Psalms into Chinese: An Exercise in Intergenerational, Literary Bible Translation


5.1 Introduction


5.2 The Training Course for the Intergenerational Bible Translation Team


5.3 The Exercise in Intergenerational, Literary Bible Translation


5.4 Further Discussions/Observations


5.5 Conclusion


Chapter 6 Conclusion – Findings and Implications


6.1 Introduction


6.2 Summary of Research Findings Regarding נֶפֶשׁ


6.3 Summary of the Foundations for Intergenerational Participation in Bible Translation


6.4 Feedback, Comments, and Reflections Regarding Intergenerational, Literary Bible Translation


6.5 Future Perspectives


6.6 Final Comments


Appendix A The IBTT’s Suggestions on the Translation of נֶפֶשׁ


Appendix B The Feedback from the Participants of the IBTT


Bibliography


List of Chinese Dictionaries Used


About Langham Partnership

Endnotes

Index
Foreword
It gives me great pleasure to write a few words in commendation of a book that arises from an exceptional dissertation that I recently examined. This multifaceted study by Dr Yu is an excellent, indeed ground-breaking, example of evangelical scholarship being rigorously applied to the original text of Scripture, with significant potential also for widespread contemporary application within the global Chinese Christian church.
I might briefly summarize the scholarly contribution of this outstanding monograph regarding the following aspects of current biblical studies and intercultural communication, with special reference to Scripture translation:

a) It features the application of a distinctive “literary-structural” methodology to the analysis and translation of three complete Psalms (35, 63, 107), including two rather lengthy ones, from biblical Hebrew into Chinese. This discourse-oriented approach offers many fresh insights regarding the sense and significance of these original prayer-praise texts. Furthermore, the author’s expertly employed ten-step methodology becomes a valuable model for others who may wish to analyse other instances of biblical poetry in a similarly meticulous, procedure-based, and goal-oriented manner.
b) More specifically, this richly documented book successfully undertakes a comprehensive, lexicographical analysis of the semantically complex term נֶפֶשׁ ‎ “breath, life, living thing, person, self” in the Old Testament and the partially