Language-specific Insights

adultery

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The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “adultery” in English (here etymologically meaning “to alter”) is typically understood as “marital infidelity.” It is (back-) translated in the following ways:

  • Highland Totonac: “to do something together”
  • Yucateco: “pair-sin”
  • Ngäbere: “robbing another’s half self-possession” (compare “fornication” which is “robbing self-possession,” that is, to rob what belongs to a person)
  • Kaqchikel, Chol: “to act like a dog” (see also licentiousness)
  • Toraja-Sa’dan: “to measure the depth of the river of (another’s) marriage”
  • North Alaskan Inupiatun: “married people using what is not theirs” (compare “fornication” which is “unmarried people using what is not theirs”) (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Purari: “play hands with” or “play eyes with”
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “talk secretly with spouses of our fellows”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “go in with other people’s spouses”
  • Tzeltal: “practice illicit relationship with women”
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “live with some one who isn’t your wife”
  • Central Tarahumara: “sleep with a strange partner”
  • Hopi: “tamper with marriage” (source for this and seven above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • German: Ehebrecher or “marriage breaker” / Ehe brechen or “breaking of marriage” (source: Zetzsche)
  • In Falam Chin the term for “adultery” is the phrase for “to share breast” which relates to adultery by either sex. (Source: David Clark)
  • In Ixcatlán Mazatec a specification needs to be made to include both genders. (Source: Robert Bascom)
  • Likewise in Hiligaynon: “commit-adultery-with-a-man or commit-adultery-with-a-woman” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

See also adultery, adulterer, adulteress, and you shall not commit adultery.

dishonor God

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The Greek in Romans 2:23 that is usually translated in English as “dishonor God” is translated in various ways:

See also complete verse (Romans 2:23).

perplexed

The Greek in Mark 6:20 that is translated into English as “perplexed” is translated as

  • “his heart was gone” in Tzeltal
  • “hard chased” (as in animals in a hunt) in Piro
  • “his mind was killing him” in Navajo (Dinė)
  • “his stomach rose up” in Farefare
  • “he was very irresolute” (i.e. “it was all wrong with him”) in Indonesian
  • “his heart was very divided” in Javanese (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida 1961)
  • “confused his head” in Hiligaynon (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • “his heart was agitated” in Uma (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • “his thinking was difficult” in Kankanaey (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

See also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling” as well as perplexed, perplexed / puzzled, or troubled / perplexed,

patriarchs

The Greek that is often translated as “patriarchs” in English is translated as

  • “first old fathers” in Isthmus Zapotec
  • “the ancient fathers” in Tzeltal / Highland Totonac
  • “the old important people who lived long ago were forefathers of the Israelites” in Yatzachi Zapotec
  • “the 12 sons of Jacob” Central Tarahumara
  • “the fathers from way back when” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • “chiefs over each of the clans of Israel” in Bariai (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • “our twelve grandfathers” in Kupsabiny (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • “twelve children from where Jews came-from” in Hiligaynon (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

measure / seah

The weight measure that is translated as “measure” or “seah” or with a modern equivalent in English is translated in the 1989 Tsonga BIBELE Mahungu Lamanene into a measurement of what a traditional container can hold rather than weight: xirhundzu or xitshatshana (2) — “conical basket” or “small conical basket (2)” (for illustrations, see the containers on the left and right in the images from the same article below). (Source: The Bible Translator 1998, p. 215ff. )

In Hiligaynon, the traditional measurement unit gantang, app. 2 kilos or a third of a selah is used. (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Day of Atonement

The Hebrew and the Greek that is typically translated as “Day of Atonement” in English is translated in Hiligaynon as Day of Redeeming the People from Their Sins” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation) and in the German Jewish translation by Buber and Rosenzweig it is translated literally as as “day of coverings” (Tag der Bedeckungen).

complete verse (Genesis 21:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 21:11:

  • Kankanaey: “Abraham was extremely sad (lit. his thoughts hurt excessively) upon Sara’s saying that, because Ismael was certainly also his child (empathy particle).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Abraham’s heart was not at ease about this matter. For Ishmael was also his own son.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Abraham felt bad because Ishmael was his child too.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Abraham was very distressed about the matter, because he was concerned about his son Ishmael.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 25:27)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 25:27:

  • Kankanaey: “When they two had-grown-up (lit. become-large), Esau became-skilled in hunting and always/only to the woods is where-he-was-going. Jacob however, he was a thoughtful/reflective person who stayed-close-to-home.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “After they became big, Esau became a good hunter and one who would be outside. Jacob, however, was gentle and became one who only did house work.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When the two children had-grown-up/[lit. had-gotten-big], Esau became a skillful hunter and he was always in the field while Jacob on-the-other-hand was a quiet man and always staying in tents.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter. He spent a lot of time out in the fields. Jacob was a quiet man who stayed close to the campsite.” (Source: Translation for Translators)