With a Phd in African linguistics (UCLA), Dr Zogbo has served as translation consultant with UBS for over 30 years. Now retired she is research associate at Universite de FHBoigny and University of Free State. Former editor of Sycomore and UBS French handbooks, she continues to write translation helps, teach at Jerusalem Center for Bible Translation, and serve in the Pike’s scholar program
On the role of context and intertextuality in searching for the meaning of the key term "hevel" (הֶבֶל) in Ecclesiastes
Abstract
Ecclesiastes or Qoheleth, one of the most enigmatic books of the Old Testament, poses many challenges for exegetes and translators. One of the major difficulties is the meaning of the key term “hevel” (הֶבֶל), literally “vapor”, rendered in a multitude of ways in English and other languages: “vanity”, “absurd”, “meaningless”, “incomprehensible”, etc. As a leitmotiv, the word colors the entire book and is considered the key to understanding and translating book of wisdom literature (Fox, 1989; Ogden, 1987; Seow, 1997; Ogden and Zogbo, 1997).
Using the principle that one biblical text can “inform” another, this paper examines the use of “hevel” in books outside Qoheleth. It establishes intertextual links with the creation story, showing that the image of Adam and Eve’s fall and punishment provide an important backdrop for the book’s major themes. The paper also examines key terms and expressions inside the book occurring in close proximity to “hevel”, showing how such contexts can shed light on the manifold meanings of this puzzling key term.
Other translation issues are raised, including the challenges of how the term might be rendered consistently in liturgical, literary, or more conservative translations, or how a more dynamic translation might be an effective way to render the key term in this powerful book. The paper also suggests how community interpretation might play into the identification, choice, and adoption of an acceptable translation solution.