Answers to your Questions
What is “Nikud”?
Nikud (or Niqqud), basically, are the dots and dashes around Hebrew letters that
tell the reader how each consonant should be pronounced, since Hebrew doesn’t
have vowels the way English does. However, nikud is not necessary in Hebrew text
and is most commonly written without it in modern days. The only places where nikud
is still widely used is in biblical texts, poetry, and children’s books. So the decision on
whether or not to have it is often purely aesthetic, and many people choose to have it
simply because they think it looks nice.
You can see examples of texts with and without nikud here and in our gallery.
Occasionally, it may be more appropriate to have nikud applied to a word, for example
if the word can have different meaning depending on pronunciation. We will be happy
to advise you if this is the case.
Can I have my tattoo running vertically?
Yes, with a “but”! Hebrew reads from right to left and not from top to bottom.
The most common way for a Hebrew tattoo to run vertically (and the way we
recommend) is with the text rotated sideways. This way makes the most sense.
The reason for this is that writing the letters on top of each other, as if it’s an Asian script
(for example as with Chinese tattoos), would look quite strange to a Hebrew reader’s eye.
If your text is with nikud, it makes it even harder to read this way because there is a relation
between the letters and some of the nikud marks are positioned between letters.
The vertical tattoos in our gallery have been done in the ‘rotated’ fashion (see the photos of
tattoos down people’s spines). If you look at other famous vertical Hebrew tattoos such as
Victoria Beckham’s, you’ll notice that this is how it’s done there as well.
However, if despite this explanation / recommendation you would like your tattoo to run
vertically as it does with Asian scripts, we can still accommodate this.
How do I order and pay for my translation?
Firstly, contact us using the form on our website. Tell us what word / phrase you want, and
if you would like nikud including. We will get back to you as soon as possible with a price quote,
and will respond to any other queries that you submit with your form.
When we have told you how many words your translation comes to in Hebrew, simply go to our
Order page. You will see there are 2 PayPal buttons. Click on the appropriate “Pay Now” button,
depending on whether you are having a translation with or without nikud, and choose the number
of words. Completing payment is quite simple from here onwards.
What payment methods do you accept?
At present we only accept payments through PayPal. However even if you don’t have a PayPal
account, it is usually still possible to make a credit card payment through PayPal. On the order
screen where you enter the quantity of words you are buying, you should see in the bottom left
of the screen a section headed “Don’t have a PayPal account?” Click here and you will be guided
through the process.
How quickly will I receive my translation?
If you read our Testimonials page, you will see that we are often complimented on the speed with
which we deal with our customer’s requests. We are generally able to respond to an initial enquiry
asking for a price quote within a few hours at most, and rarely more than 12 hours. Of course, we
may need to ask you questions to clarify your exact requirements before we can quote a price, so
the speed of your reply to us can be a factor. Please also bear in mind that we will usually be
replying to you from Israel, so do take into account the time difference. We may receive your enquiry
at 3am Israeli time, so please don’t be upset if we don’t reply within the hour.
Once we know exactly what you want and have quoted you a price, you should normally receive the
file containing your translation within 24 hours of your payment to us clearing. It is often much quicker
than this. If there is any reason that we may not be able to provide you with your translation within
24 hours, we will inform you of this and we will also explain why and give you a timeframe.
If you need your translation done urgently for some reason, please make this clear in your first
communication with us, and tell us how quickly you need it. We will strive to accommodate you, and
will let you know as soon as possible if we cannot supply you with your translation as quickly as you
need it. So far though, we have always been able to help in such cases.
What do I get for my money?
Apart from our very personal service where we discuss and clarify your exact needs with you, you will
receive a PDF file with your phrase in a selection of over 50 different fonts and styles to choose from.
These include some cursive / written styles, to which nikud are not applied. You can then choose your
favourite style and we will send you a larger version of your phrase in that style alone, along with an
outline of the font to take to your tattoo artist in order to get the most accurate copy possible.
We will also provide you with instructions to how to make the tattoo run vertically in that final file if
this is required (in the way that we recommend). We believe that we offer the largest range of
Hebrew fonts and styles on the internet, and that our uniquely personal service ensures that you
receive a completely accurate translation. We like to think that we offer more peace of mind than other
sites.
The translation you sent me is too big! How do I get it to the size that I want my tattoo to be?
Your tattoo artist should be able to resize the stencil to the size you need it, using a computer or
a Xerox machine. If however they are unable to assist with this, please come back to us and we
will do our best to help.
Can I have my translation in an original Bible font?
There really is no such thing as an ‘original Bible font’. The Bible has been handwritten for most of
history, and in the present day when it is printed in Hebrew, different editions use different fonts.
However, our large selection of fonts does contain several of the more Biblical looking fonts. We will
be happy to point out which ones these are if you wish.
