Translation Over the Years

It has often been a challenge for the few publishers in Iceland to translate all the spiritual food from “the faithful and discreet slave” into the Icelandic language. (Matt. 24:45) In the early years, Icelandic Witnesses who lived in Canada did most of the translation work. Later this work was done in Iceland. After the first missionaries arrived in 1947, they became acquainted with an elderly poet who lived in the same house as they did. He knew English and helped the missionaries to learn the language. He also offered to do some translation work for them, so the brothers hired him to translate the book “Let God Be True” and the booklet The Joy of All the People. Unfortunately, he used an old poetic style with too many archaic words and expressions, and even though one of the new missionaries and Brother Lindal checked and retyped the translation, the book never became the fine study aid expected. Nevertheless, the book was widely distributed from its first printing, and altogether 14,568 copies were printed. Over 20,000 copies of the booklet were printed in 1949. Later the brothers hired another translator to translate the book What Has Religion Done for Mankind?

During those years, a small team of brothers translated a number of booklets. One was “This Good News of the Kingdom,” released in 1959. This booklet helped the brothers to start many new Bible studies. At this point approval was given to publish The Watchtower in Icelandic.

Many fine books were translated and released in the years that followed: “This Means Everlasting Life” was released in 1962; From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, in 1966; The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, in 1970; You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, in 1984; and Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life, in 1996. A quarterly edition of Awake! was added to the list of Icelandic publications in 1982.

For many years, the brothers did not have the songbook in Icelandic. In 1960, four songs were translated and mimeographed for an assembly. Then at the district convention in November 1963, a little songbook with 30 selected songs in Icelandic was released, to the joy of the brothers.

Until then, congregation singing had been done in a blend of languages. Günther and Rut Haubitz arrived in Iceland from Germany in 1958 as special pioneers. Rut still remembers how the foreign brothers just used their own respective songbooks in Danish, English, Finnish, German, Norwegian, or Swedish. Icelanders chimed in with whichever language they knew best. She says, “It was a rather mixed choir!” Gradually, over the years, more Kingdom songs were translated, but it was not until 1999 that a complete songbook with all 225 songs became available in Icelandic. How grateful the brothers are for this provision to praise Jehovah!

The district convention held in August 1999 featured something new for Iceland. The book Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy! in Icelandic was released simultaneously with the English edition. At the convention, when the speaker announced the release of the book in English, all in the audience applauded. But instead of telling the brothers that this book would be released later in Icelandic, he continued by showing an Icelandic copy of the book, saying​—to the great excitement of all—​that the book had already been translated into Icelandic! Since then, Isaiah’s Prophecy​—Light for All Mankind I and II were also released simultaneously with the English editions.

The branch facilities underwent renovation in 1998. Two apartments across the street were purchased to house Bethelites and to allow more space in the office for the Translation Department. In recent years, the translators have also benefited from visits by brothers from world headquarters in New York. These brothers have taught them how to use computer programs that were developed by Jehovah’s Witnesses and are specially designed for translation work.

Recently, representatives from headquarters conducted the Course in Improved English Comprehension at the branch. The course has helped the translators to gain deeper insight into the English text before they start translation.

The branch office writes: “Looking back over the years, we are happy that some had the courage to start translating into Icelandic, even under primitive conditions and with limited knowledge of the language. Though the quality of translated material was not the same in the early days as it is today, we do not ‘despise the day of small things.’ (Zech. 4:10) We rejoice to see that Jehovah’s name and Kingdom have also been made known in Iceland and that many people have learned the truth.”