The Greek and Ge’ez that is translated as “sexual immorality” or “fornication” or similar is translated much more specifically in some languages. Morelos Nahuatl has “let a man not yield himself to another woman except only to his wife. Also let a woman not yield herself to another man except only to her husband” or in Lalana Chinantec as “not proper for them to mix themselves with other women. The same is true of women for other men also.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
In Low German as Hurenkram or “things related to prostitution (and/or sleeping around)” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006) and in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) typically as Sexgier or “sex cravings” (exceptions: Acts 15:10 and 15:29).
The Greek in Acts 23:23 that is translated as “spearmen” in English is translated as “soldiers who will carry sharp sticks” in Lalana Chinantec. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated as Leichtbewaffnete or “lightly armed ones.”
The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated in English as “reptiles” or “creeping things” or similar is translated as “those which crawl along upon their stomach” in San Mateo del Mar Huave, “those that crawl the way they travel” in Chichimeca-Jonaz, and “animals that crawl on the ground” in Lalana Chinantec. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
In Nyamwezi it is translated as as vitundwa vya ku’yu’mba or “creatures that move.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
The Hebrew words zachal and remes literally mean “creeping [things]” or “crawling [things]”, which is the Hebrew way of referring to small unclean creatures, reptiles in particular. The Greek word herpeton is also a general word for reptile; it includes snakes and lizards. All of the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin words usually exclude fish.
The Hebrew words carry the connotation of uncleanness.
In languages which have a word meaning “reptile”, this will fit most contexts. In languages which do not, phrases such as “snakes and lizards”, “wriggling things”, and so forth could be used.
Morelos Nahuatl: “the Holy Spirit enters one’s heart to rule”
Teutila Cuicatec: “God’s Spirit possesses one” / “in all the authority of the Holy Spirit”
Isthmus Mixe: “have the Holy Spirit (in one’s head and heart) very much” or “Holy Spirit enter one completely”
Lalana Chinantec: “one’s heart really obeyed what the Holy Spirit wanted”
Chichimeca-Jonaz: “one’s heart full of God’s Holy Spirit” (source for this and seven above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Yawa: “God’s Spirit gives one power” (source: Larry Jones)
Yakan: “ruled by the Holy Spirit” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “thoroughly controlled by the Holy Spirit” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “the Holy Spirit had-entered-to-indwell one” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
The following story is relayed by Martha Duff Tripp as she led the translation of the New Testament into Yanesha’ (p. 310): “I continue to work with Casper Mountain [an Yanesha’ translator] on translation. As we start the book of Luke, we run into another problem. In Chapter 1, verse 15, the text reads (speaking of John the Baptist), ‘and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ The Amueshas [Yanesha’s] have never associated their word for ‘fill’ with anything except pots and baskets. How can a person be ‘filled’? Even their word for a full stomach is not the word for ‘fill.’ We talk together about what ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’ means (obsessed with or possessed by). The thought comes to me of what the Amueshas [Yanesha’s] say about the shaman. They say that he can ‘wear’ the spirit of the tiger, that they can tell when he is wearing the tiger spirit because he then will act like a tiger. Their word for ‘wear’ is the same word as to ‘wear or put on a garment.’ Can this possibly be the way to say ‘filled with God’s Spirit’? As I cautiously question Casper about this, his face lights up immediately. ‘Yes, that is the way we would say it, he is ’wearing’ God’s Holy Spirit.’”
Note that Cheyenne also uses the term for “wear” in these instances. (Source: Wayne Leman)
Teutila Cuicatec: “people from other nations who believe the same as those of the nation of Israel”
Chuj: “those who have received the religion of the Israel people”
Morelos Nahuatl: “those who entered the religion of the Jews”
Lalana Chinantec: “those who worship God as the Israel people do”
Chichimeca-Jonaz: “those who joined with the Jews because they went to believing like them”
Falam Chin: “those who entered/joined the Jews’ religious party from other tribes” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
The Greek in Acts 24:1 that is translated as “spokesman,” “orator,” or “lawyer” in English is translated as “person who takes out the word of them” in Lalana Chinantec, as “settler” in Isthmus Mixe, as “one who speaks for another in court” in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac, as “accuser” in Eastern Highland Otomi, or as “one who brings charges” in Highland Popoluca. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
In Lamnso’, the seat on the right-hand side signifies that the person seated there would have a higher position than the one to his left (vs. just being a seat of honor). To circumvent any misunderstanding of the biblical text, the translation here refers to the “highest seat next to God.” (Source: Karl Grebe in Holzhausen 1991, p. 52)
(Note that in Elhomwe the idiom “I see you through the left hand” stands for “useless.” [Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext])
For more information on the issue of translating “right” vs. “left,” especially in African languages, see Lynell Zogbo’s article in The Bible Translator 2013, p. 36ff. .
