How I Translate

I consider this site a creative work of literary art. And so my method is certainly fallible and shouldn't be trusted as a reliable tool for Biblical or Tolkienian translations and other scholarly works.


My method developed instinctively over time and relied on other sources to help build my system translating the original Hebrew/Greek to Tolkien's fictional languages. But there are many obstacles such as the various Biblical translations printed, the limited Elvish vocabulary, the etymological differences between languages, etc. And so when confronted, I instinctively made decisions case-by-case.

General Method:

My process starts with the original Biblical script (Old Testament Hebrew & New Testament Greek). Then using James Strong's Concordance, I identify the script's corresponding Strong's index number, which includes translations. Using Strong's translation, I try to find a matching definition among Elvish dictionaries and archives. Once I find a match, I translate the word in accordance with Tolkien's grammar and syntax. To keep track of my translations, I have created a google sheet with comments on how I deal with difficult translations.


Example: 

Hebrew Script: בָּרָ֣א  (biblehub.com)

Strong's Concordance: Strong's #1254 meaning "choose, shape, create" (biblehub.com)

Elvish root: Quenya verb "onta-" meaning "to beget/create" (eldamo.org & Ambar Eldaron Quenya Dictionary)

Sindarin verb "echad-" meaning "to form/fashion/make/shape" (eldamo.org & J M Carpenter's Sidarin Dictionary)

Elvish Grammar: Quenya past tense "ónë" meaning "created" (Wikibooks Quenya Guide)

Sindarin 3rd person past tense "echant" meaning "(he) created" (Sindarin Hub Full Course)