The Greek that is translated as “all scripture is inspired by God (or: is God-breathed)” into English is translated into various languages in the following ways:
Berom: “All the words that were written in the Leaf of Teaching of Father Sun came away from God thing his” (Mwa neha de bà jɛk e Bwok-basa Dagwi na vey yi na Dagwi pyɛ mɛ)
Hausa (Common Language Version): “All the writings of the Word of God are blown from his place” (Duk Rubutacciyar Maganar Allah hurarre ce daga wurinsa)
Kera: “All the words that were written in God’s book come straight from God’s mouth” (Kel gə minti gə jeerə-jeere giidə kefter kə Pepeŋa keɗe ha’aŋ, yə bəŋ ku Pepeŋ da)
Arabic (True Meaning Arabic edition): “All of this book is a revelation from God” (فهذِهِ الكُتُبُ كُلُّها وَحيٌ مِن اللهِ)
Chadian Arabic: “The book is completely the word of God which he sent down (الْكِتَابْ كُلَّ كَيْ هُو كَلَامْ اللّٰهْ النَّزَّلَهْ)
Dari (Today’s Dari Version 2008): “The whole holy book is divine revelation” (تمام کتاب مقدس از الهام خداست)
French (Parole de Vie 2017): “All the holy books were written with the help of God” (Tous les Livres Saints ont été écrits avec l’aide de Dieu)
Lamogai: “All of the talk written in God’s book was given by God’s Spirit.”
Northern Emberá: “God (emph.) made all of his word to be written” (Ãcõrẽbʌrʌ jũma Idji Bed̶eara b̶ʌbisia)
Hiligaynon: “The whole Written-Item was written by-means-of the power of God” (Kay ang bug-os nga Kasulatan ginbugna sang Dios kag mapuslanon sa pagtudlo sang kamatuoran)
Sindhi: “The origin/fount of each writing of the holy word/scripture is God (emph. = alone)”
Dobel: “And God’s Message all of it, it was he alone who put it in people’s thoughts, then they wrote it in The Book” (Sa Dukwaida Ssinan Ler si Rakwin re nam ffui, nai naꞌꞌenni yaꞌa nam i tamatu ada faꞌirandi nama datiya i Suratu Yabil)
Amele: “All the written good talk God’s Spirit he himself taught/instructed men and they wrote” (Me je jaqec cunug Anutna Kis uqadodoc dana iwaladeceb jaqein)
Aja: “It was God’s Spirit that took all things that were written in the books of God’s Word and put them in the minds/consciences of people, and they wrote them” (source for this and all above: discussion on BT email list, contributions used with permissions)
On this last translation, the translation into Kaqchikel, Cameron Townsend reports:
“We were struggling with the part of the Scripture that says, ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God.’ We tried several different ways of translating this, but the men were never satisfied that it communicated well in Kaqchikel. I consulted the Greek and said, ‘How about translating it ‘all scripture is God-breathed?” ‘No,’ they said, ‘that doesn’t sound right.’ Then I suggested using ‘God’s breath.’ The men liked this and we agreed to use this phrase. But I wasn’t entirely convinced it was as accurate as it should be. Then I began to read other portions of Scripture where I noticed that when God spoke in creation it had the same connotation as God’s breath. And so we left it that way: ‘All scripture is God’s breath.'” (Quoted in Steven 1995, p. 196f.)
Derived from this phrase, the word for “Bible” in Armenian is Asdvadz-a-shoonch (Աստվածաշունչ) or “Breath of God.”
The Hebrew that is often translated as “seraphs” or “seraphim” in English is translated in Hiligaynon as “heavenly creatures.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 2:1:
Noongar: “Now, a relative of Naomi, he was named Boaz. He was a relative of Naomi’s husband, famous in the tribe of Elimelech.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
Eastern Bru: “Naomi had a person from the clan of her husband Elimelech. That person was named Boaz, and he was a person who had great authority, and he was also rich.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: (verses 1-3) “One day, Ruth said to Noemi, ‘Allow me to go to the field to glean the heads-of-grain of a man who will-allow me to do it.’ Noemi said to her, ‘Okay child, you(sg) go.’ So Ruth went-out and gleaned the heads-of-grain that were-left-behind by the harvesters. And it-so-happened that she gleaned there at the field of Boaz the relative of Elimelec. Boaz was a wealthy and famous man.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “There was a man in Bethlehem who belonged to the clan of Naomi’s dead husband, Elimelech. He was rich and well-known/influential. His name was Boaz.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 2:2-2:5:
Noongar: “Ruth of Moab said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the wheat-field and gather seed. I can go behind people who are kind to me.’ Naomi said to her, ‘Go, my daughter.’ So Ruth went to the wheat-fields and gathered wheat behind the wheat workers. Now, Boaz owned this wheat-field. He was Elimelech’s relative. Just then, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem. He said to the wheat workers, ‘God stays with you!’. They replied, ‘God bless you!’ Then Boaz asked the boss of the wheat workers, ‘This woman, who are her people?’” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
Eastern Bru: “Ruth, the Moabite, said to Naomi: ‘Let me go glean in the fields. If the owner of the field is pleased with me, then I will glean in that field..’ And Naomi answered: ‘All right, child. Go, go.’ So Ruth went to glean in the fields following those who were harvesting. She did not know she had come to the field of Boaz. Boaz was from the clan of Elimelech. So Boaz came from Bethlehem, and he said to his harvesters: ‘God be with you.’ They answered: ‘Yes. And God give to you blessings also.’ Then Boaz asked the person who oversaw the people who harvested for him: ‘That young woman is whose child?’ (Source: Bru Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: (verses 4-5) “Now, Boaz arrived from Betlehem and he greeted the harvesters, ‘May the LORD help you(pl)!’ The harvesters replied, ‘May the LORD bless you(sg)!’ Then Boaz asked the servant whom he entrusted to supervise the harvesters, ‘Who is that young lady/woman?’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “One day Ruth said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the fields and pick up the grain left behind by the workers.’ Naomi replied, ‘Go ahead, my daughter.’ So Ruth went to the fields and began to pick up some of the left-over grain. And it happened that she was working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the man from the clan of her dead father-in-law, Elimelech! Just then, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem. He greeted the men who were harvesting the grain, saying, ‘I want Yahweh to bless you!’ They replied, ‘We want Yahweh to bless you, too!’ Then Boaz saw Ruth, and asked the foreman/man in charge of the other workmen, ‘Whose daughter is that young woman?’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 2:6-2:9:
Noongar: “The boss of the wheat workers replied, ‘This one is from Moab. She returned with Naomi from Moab. The woman said, ‘Let me gather my wheat behind the wheat workers’, and she has worked here from sunrise and not stopped.’ Then Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Listen, my daughter, don’t go to another wheat field, don’t go away but stay close to my young women. Watch the wheat field and stay close to the wheat workers. I have told my young men not to bother you. If you must drink water, take the water my young men have brought.’” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
Eastern Bru: “And the person who worked for him answered: ‘She is a Moabite. She came from the country of Moab with Naomi to come to this place. The young woman asked me to allow her to glean following those who are harvesting the grain. She asked to follow and pick up the grain from the bundles. She came very early. She has been working until now. She rested only briefly in that shelter.’ After that Boaz said to Ruth: ‘Young woman. Listen to what I say. Don’t go and glean in other fields, and don’t go far from this place. But you stay with the women who work for me. And you watch what field these women are harvesting. Then you follow them and go to that field also. I have told the men who work for me not to do anything to you. If you are thirsty, you can drink from the gourds that the men have drawn.'” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The servant replied, ‘She is the Moabnon who came-together with Noemi when she returned from Moab. She asked me to allow her to glean some of the remaining heads-of-grain of the harvesters. She really works steadily from (this) morning until now. She just rested for-a-short-time in the roofed-shelter.’ Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Day (an address to a young lady), you(sg) do- not -go anymore to another field to glean heads-of-grain. You(pl) just glean here with my female servant. Watch where my men are-harvesting and you(pl) follow-along-after the female servant. I have- already -told my men that they will- not -harm you(sg). And when you(sg) are thirsty, just drink from the jars that my men have-filled-with-water.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “The foreman replied, ‘She is the woman from Moab who returned from there with her mother-in-law Naomi. She said to me, ‘Please let me walk behind the men who are harvesting the grain and pick up some of the grain they leave behind.’ I gave her permission, and she went into the field, and she has been working from this morning until now. The only time she did not work was when she rested for a short time in the shelter.’ So Boaz went over to Ruth and said to her, ‘Young lady, listen to me. Don’t go and pick up grain in another field. Do not go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls. Watch where the men are harvesting, and follow along behind the servant girls. I will tell the men who are working not to touch/molest you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get some water to drink from the jars that the men have filled.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 3:16-18:
Noongar: “When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked her, ‘How did everything turn out, my daughter?’ Then Ruth told Naomi all that Boaz had done for her. She said, ‘Boaz gave me six baskets of wheat because he said, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law holding nothing in your hands.’ ‘ Naomi replied, ‘Wait, my daughter, until you know what happens, because this man will not lie down this day, only when these things happen.’” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
Eastern Bru: “Ruth went home to her mother in law, and her mother in law asked her: ‘How is it, child?’ And Ruth told her mother in law everything that Boaz had done. And Ruth said: ‘Here are six measures of grain he gave me to bring home to you. And he told me: ‘Don’t go home empty handed to your mother in law.’‘ Then Naomi answered: ‘ Child! Now we will wait until we know what will happen about this. Boaz is thinking about what to say to his kinsmen. But surely today he will finish this.’” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “When Ruth arrived to her mother-in-law, she was-asked, ‘How-are-you(sg), child?’ Then Ruth told her everything Boaz had-done to/for her. And Ruth also said, ‘Boaz does- not -want me to go-home to you empty-handed/[lit. without nothing to bring], so he gave me these approximately/roughly six kilos of barley.’ Noemi said, ‘You(sg) just wait, child, until you(sg) will-know what really will-happen, for Boaz will- not [emphasis marker] -stop until he can facilitate this very day what you(sg) had-asked-for from him.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “When Ruth arrived home, her mother-in-law asked her, ‘My daughter, how did things go/Boaz act toward you?’ Then Ruth told her everything that Boaz had done for her and said to her. She also said to Naomi, ‘He gave me all this barley, saying ‘I do not want you to return to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’’ Then Naomi said, ‘My daughter, just wait until we see what happens. I am sure that Boaz will take care of the matter of your marriage today.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 4:13:
Noongar: “So, Boaz took Ruth and Ruth became his wife. They lay together and God blessed Ruth. She became pregnant and bore their son.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
Eastern Bru: “Then Boaz took Ruth to be his wife. They lived together. And God gave Ruth a son.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “So Boaz married Ruth, and the LORD willed that Ruth became-pregnant. Some time-later Ruth gave-birth to a son.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “So Boaz took Ruth home, and she became his wife. He slept with/had sexual relations with her and Yahweh enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 1:1:
West African language: “If you want to be truly happy do not hear the advice of bad people, do not walk in the feet of those who refuse God? Do not live in the compound of those who spoil God’s name.” (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1983, p. 420ff. )
Eastern Bru: “Whatever person does not follow the teaching of the evil person, or does not do according to what the sinner does, or does not follow/imitate those those who customarily mock God, surely that person receives blessing.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Blessed is the man/person who does- not -live in the guidance/advice of the wicked people, does- not -follow what the sinners do, and does- not -join-with the people who mock/ridicule.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “God is pleased with those who do not do what wicked people advise them to do, and who do not imitate the behavior of sinful people, and who do not join in with people who ridicule/sneer at God.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
