Translation Troubles

In my other blog, I am very slowly translating the Gospel of John. I haven't been at it in a while, and going back into it tonight, I found it a hard slog. First of all, I haven't been studying much Greek lately, so my Greek's gotten very rusty. Also, I ran into one of the traps translators know well - translation politics.

In this case with the word "adelphoi":

[John 2:12] After this he went down to Capernaum, he and his mother, and his [adelphoi], and his disciples; and they remained there not many days.

Now, this typically means "brothers," but it can also mean "brothers and sisters," or can mean a group of people with a familial aspect (such as the early Christians regarded themselves), and it can refer to relatives other than immediate family as well. I ended up using 'relatives' here, since the disciples are also refered to separately. But it is a tough call, trying to pull clarity from ambiguity.

There were other tough spots, too. It is not always entirely clear what the apostle John means in his writings, and I often have to really rely on the insight of my Douay Rheims and Vulgate (St. Jerome) forebearers - how did they interpret a passage when I struggle with it?

The more I do this, the more respect I have for real translators!