I had a discussion with a friend recently over the distinction in meaning between joy and happiness, as expressed by a pastor in a recent TV interview: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50224492#50224492
My friend makes a similar distinction in meaning as that pastor does, while I do not. Dictionary definitions are not very helpful, since the dictionary that I generally use (Third College Edition of Webster’s New World Dictionary, c. 1991) appears to make no distinction between the two terms, while the online dictionary that he regularly uses does.
In support of my view that any distinction between the two terms is blurred or not present at all, I’m listing the following songs, which cover a span of more than 160 years. While we were in Liberia 40 years ago, we often sang #6 and #7.
1 Happy the Home by Henry Ware, Jr. (1846)
Key Lines: Happy the home when God is there, and love fill every breast
Happy the home where Jesus’ name is sweet to every ear
2 Happy in My Savior’s Love by Harry Dixon Loes (1919)
3 Happy All the Time (author & copyright unknown, but prior to copyright of songbook, 1931)
Key Line: With Jesus in my heart, from him I’ll never depart
4 Happy in Jesus Today by W.T. Chapelle (1936)
5 Happy Am I by Clayton P. Erb (1956)
Key Lines: Happy am I, Jesus loves me; He took my sins and He made me free
6 Happiness by William J. Gaither (1967)
I found happiness; I’ve found peace of mine
I found the joy of living, perfect love sublime
I found real contentment, happy living in accord
I found happiness all the time, wonderful peace of mind
When I found the Lord
7 Happiness is the Lord by Ira Stanphill (1968)
Happiness is to know the Savior
Living a life within His favor
Having a change in my behavior
Happiness is the Lord
Happiness is a new creation
“Jesus and me” in close relation
Having a part in His salvation
Happiness is the Lord
Happiness is to be forgiven
Living a life that’s worth the livin’
Taking a trip that leads to heaven
Happiness is the Lord
Chorus: Real joy is mine, no matter if teardrops start
I’ve found the secret – it’s Jesus in my heart!
8 Happy Am I by Mickey Holiday (1971)
Key Line: Jesus is mine forever
9 Happiness Is by Bonnie Low (1982)
Happiness is Knowing that Jesus loves me
And Happiness is Knowing that God above me
Is looking after me And watching over me in love
10 Happiness Is by Evan Rogers, Nathan Fellingham (2007)
Key Line: Happiness is a sinner forgiven
Some Bible translators also have used the term happy in ways that blur a distinction from joy (see Matthew 5 in Today’s English Version – Good News for Modern Man, Phillips Modern English translation, Jerusalem Bible, The Source New Testament).
Now for your thoughts. In terms of Bible translation, should translators avoid using the term happiness for the sake of readers who make a distinction between joy and happiness, or should they feel free to use the term happiness for the sake of readers who consider it synonymous with joy?
If a translation has a particular target audience, how can one determine whether that target audience makes a distinction between the two terms or not?
Thanks to Wayne for posting the relevant survey. I’m wondering in what “important ways” those who selected that option consider the terms “different”.