The Invasion of Locusts
NJV. they never jostle each other, each marches straight ahead: arrows fly, they still press forward, never breaking ranks.
Ik. nta idatsinosati, ɲapei daŋamoroka; tsaketata nee naƙafɨkee nta topwaɲɨpwaɲat.
they do not push each other = nta idatsinosati
nta = do not
idatsinosati = they press/push each other
The original Hebrew is dawkhak’ (דחק), which means to thrust, crowd or oppress.
each one marches in a column = ɲapei daŋamoroka
ɲapei = from
daŋamoroka = a hollow clay column
daŋamorok has two components:
1. daŋa = edible termite species
2. morok = shaft or throat or voice.
Think of an African termite mound.
It is taller than you, and when you wrap your hands around it, your fingertips fail to meet each other.
Inside live millions of termites. Every night, one of them stays outside to seal the mound, knowing she can never re-enter. Thus, you are standing in their graveyard.
You cannot see inside the mound.
You take a swing, raising a cloud of mud spittle.
You expect the termites to start running around like headless chickens.
But they don’t – they wait there patiently, looking at you.
They were expecting you…
they lunge between the weapons = tsaketata nee naƙafɨkee
tsaketata = they fall
nee = through
naƙafɨkee = the arrows
naƙafɨkee comes from naƙafɨk, which had two meanings:
1. arrow-head
2. tongue/language (i.e. the wailing and gnashing of teeth)
“weapons” comes from the Hebrew sheh’lakh (שלח), which means missile, weapon or sprout.
However, in some versions of Job 33:18, the same word becomes Sheol. For example from the NASB:
He keeps back his soul from the pit, And his life from passing over into Sheol.
Other translations replace into Sheol with from passing the river, or by the sword.
and are not cut down = nta topwaɲɨpwaɲat
nta = do not
topwaɲɨpwaɲat = they break
Properly, topwaɲɨpwaɲ means something like crumble, for example like soft rock.
What sort of locusts are these, that I compare them to chalk?
KJV. They do not jostle one another; each proceeds in his path. They burst through the defences, never breaking ranks.
Ik. nta idatsinosati, ɲapei daŋamoroka; tsaketata nee naƙafɨkee nta topwaɲɨpwaɲat.