The Hebrew that is translated as “(swift) flight” in English is translated in Dan with a word that can mean either “jump” or “fly.” (Source: Don Slager)
clap your hands and stamp your foot
The Hebrew that is translated as “clap your hands and stamp your foot” in English is translated in Dan as “roll in the dirt and raise your hands,” the more culturally appropriate expression for sorrow. (Source: Don Slager)
praise (God)
The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “praise (God)” in English is translated in a nuymber of ways:
- Tae’: “make-great” / “make-great the name”
- Western Highland Purepecha / Morelos Nahuatl: “speak well of”
- San Blas Kuna / Kpelle: “lift up the name”
- Huehuetla Tepehua: “sing the name”
- Highland Totonac: “make good”
- Tzeltal: “say good about”
- Navajo: “make known something good about” (source for this and above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
- Isthmus Mixe: “place (God) big”
- Chuj: “say good words about (God)”
- San Mateo del Mar Huave: “honor (Father God)” (source for this and three above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
In Dan a figurative expression for praising God is used: “push God’s horse.” “In the distant past people closely followed the horses ridden by chiefs, so ‘pushing’ them.” (Source: Don Slager)
still waters
The Hebrew that is often translated as “still waters” in English is translated as “water at the mouth of a well” in Dan since “the imagery of ‘still water’ is seen as something negative, water that is dirty since it isn’t moving.”
as the LORD lives
The Hebrew and Greek that is often translated as “As the Lord lives, (I swear)” in English is translated in Dan as “I swear before the true living God” to “not to imply that God could die, contrasting with the dead false gods.”
relieve oneself
The Hebrew that is translated as “relieve himself” or similar in English needed to be translated with a euphemism in Dan. The phrase that was used was “he hit the bush.”
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go in peace (2Sam. 15:9)
David tells his son Absalom (in English translations) to “go in peace” after his son asks for permission to go to Hebron to complete a vow to God there. Since that was not understandable to the Dan translators, it was translated as “David gave his permission.”
wash feet
David tells Uriah (in English translations) to “go down to his house and wash his feet.” This refers to stay the night, and in particular sleep with his wife (see v. 11). The Chamula Tzotzil translated it as “sweep out your heart,” meaning the same thing as “make yourself at home.”
Dan translators translated it as “to go home and relax.”
bury
The Hebrew that is translated as “bury” or “funeral” in English is translated in Dan with a word that can mean either “hide” or “bury.” To prevent misunderstandings the translation makes it explicit that this refers to dead being buried. (Source: Don Slager)
making peace
English translations say “Syrians made peace with the Israelites after being defeated by them” — The idiomatic expression used by the Dan translator in this context for making peace is “giving a white chicken.” When people offer a white chicken, they accept defeat. The victorious party is expected to accept the chicken to show that they will not retaliate. It’s important that the chicken be white, not any other color, and that its legs not be tied (showing freedom).