The Greek and Ge’ez that is translated in English versions as «hell» (or «Gehenna») is translated (1) by borrowing a term from a trade or national language (this is done in a number of Indian languages in Latin America, which have borrowed Spanish infierno — from Latin infernus: “of the lower regions”), (2) by using an expression denoting judgment or punishment, e.g. «place of punishment» (Loma), «place of suffering» (Highland Totonac, San Blas Kuna) and (3) by describing a significant characteristic: (a) the presence of fire or burning, e.g. «place of fire» (Kipsigis, Mossi), «the large bonfire» (Shipibo-Conibo), or (b) the traditionally presumed location, e.g. «the lowest place» (a well-known term in Ngäbere), «the place inside» long used to designate hell, as a place inside the earth (Aymara). (Source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)

In Noongar it is translated as Djinbaminyap or «Punishing place» (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Tagbanwa as «the fire which had no dying down» (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation), and in Cherokee as «Devils’ (lit. Ghosts’) place» (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 16).

The Mandarin Chinese dìyù (地獄 / 地狱), literally «(under) earth prison,» is a term that was adopted from Buddhist sources into early Catholic writings and later also by Protestant translators. (Source: Zetzsche 1996, p. 32)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Hell .