Language-specific Insights

complete verse (1 Chronicles 6:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 6:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “Uzzi produced Zerahiah, who produced Meraioth.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Uzi was the father of Zerahia, and Zerahia was the father of Merayot.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah.
    Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Ezekiel 26:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 26:16:

  • Kupsabiny: “The kings/rulers of the nearby countries shall leave behind their chairs of rulership and take off their clothes that were beautified and showing honor. They shall sit down while trembling over what has come to you.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The leaders of the places who were near the sea will-step-down from their throne and will-take-off their kingly/royal clothes and their inner clothes which are beautiful. And they will-sit on the ground shaking in fear because of what you received/[what your outcome-became].” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then all the kings in the cities along the coast will step down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and their embroidered clothes. They will be terrified, and they will sit on the ground, trembling. They will be appalled because of what has happened to the city of Tyre.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Ruth 3:1 - 3:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 3:1-5:

  • Noongar: “Later, Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, said to her, ‘My daughter, I must find a home for you so someone can look after you. Now, this man, Boaz, is our relative. You have been working beside his young women. Boaz will thresh his wheat at his threshing floor tonight. Go, wash and perfume yourself and put on your best clothes. Go to the threshing floor, but don’t let him see you until he stops eating and drinking. When he sleeps, watch where he is lying, then go and uncover his feet and lie there. He will tell you what you must do.’ Ruth said to her, ‘Everything you say, I will do.’” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
  • Eastern Bru: “After that, Naomi told Ruth: ‘Child! It is good for me to seek a husband for you, so that you can have a family and be well/at peace like others. Now you know Boaz because you have been following the women who work for him. Boaz is really of our clan and very close. And this evening he is coming to guard the place where they thresh his grain. So you bathe and put on perfume and wear new clothing. Then you go to the place where they are threshing Boaz’s grain. But don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking. When he goes to sleep, you watch where that is. When he is sleeping soundly, then you go and lift the blanket from his legs/feet. Then you sleep near his feet. And whatever he tells you, you do that.’ Then Ruth answered her mother-in-law: ‘All that you have instructed me, surely I will follow all your words.’” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “One day, Noemi said to Ruth, ‘Child, I want you(sg) to marry now for your(sg) good. There-is [is-it-not-so] Boaz our(incl) relative, whose female servants you(sg) have-been- working -with. You(sg) know (what), tonight he will-be-winnowing/[lit. causing/allowing-wind-to-blow-through] the barley. Therefore take a bath, put-on-perfume, and wear your(sg) best clothes. Then go to the place-of-threshing, but do- not -show-(yourself) to him until he has-finished eating and drinking. When he is-going-to-sleep, you(sg) watch/observe where he will-lie-down. And when he is asleep, go-to him and lift-up the blanket at his feet and you sleep there. Then he will-tell you(sg) what you(sg) will-do.’ Ruth replied, ‘I will-do all what you(sg) have-said.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “One day, Naomi said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, I think that I should try to arrange for you to have a husband who will take care of/provide for you. Boaz, the man with whose servant girls you have been gathering grain, is a close relative of our dead husbands. Listen carefully. Tonight he will be at the ground where the barley has been threshed. He will be separating the barley grain from the chaff. Bathe yourself and put on some perfume. Put on your best clothes. Then go down to the ground where they have threshed the grain. But do not let Boaz know that you are there while he is eating supper and drinking. When he has finished eating, notice where he lies down to sleep. Then when he is asleep, take the blanket off his feet and lie close to his feet. When he wakes up, he will tell you what to do.’ Ruth replied, ‘I will do everything that you have told me to do.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Ruth 4:16 - 4:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 4:16-17:

  • Noongar: “And Naomi took the child and put him on her lap and Naomi looked after him. The women of Bethlehem said, ‘This baby has become the son of Naomi.’ They named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse, the father of David.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
  • Eastern Bru: “Then Naomi raised this child with all her heart. After that the women in the town called the child Obed. And they said: “This day Naomi has again a son.” Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of King David.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Noemi always took the child and laid-(him)-in-her-lap. She was the-one-taking-care of the child. The women who were Noemi’s neighbors said, ‘Noemi has now a male grandchild!’ They named the child Obed. And when Obed had-grown-up, he had a child Jesse. And Jesse was the father of David.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then Naomi took the baby and put him on her lap, and took care of him. The women who were living near her said, ‘It is as though Naomi now has a son!’ And they named him Obed. Later, Obed became the father of Jesse, and later Jesse became the father of King David.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Ruth 1:18 - 1:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 1:18-1:21:

  • Noongar: “When Naomi understood Ruth was determined to go with her, she said no more. So those two returned to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, all the people were excited because of them, and the women said, ‘This one’s Naomi, isn’t she?’ She said to them, ‘I am not Naomi, I am called Mara because God has made my life bitter. I went away full but God brings me back empty. Why call me Naomi, God has attacked me and he has given me only sorrow.’” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
  • Eastern Bru: “After Ruth said this, Naomi knew that surely Ruth really wanted to go with her. So Naomi did not say anything further. So the two of them went to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, all the people in the town were astonished in their hearts. And they asked: ‘Is this person really Naomi?’ But Naomi answered: ‘Now you must not call me Naomi any longer. Now you call me the name Mara, because God has caused me to meet great misfortune. When I left here I was blessed. But now God has caused me to return empty handed. Because God hates me and God has given me to meet great difficulties, so don’t call me Naomi any longer’” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When Noemi saw that Ruth was- really -determined to go with her, she just kept-silent. So the two of them continued to walk until they arrived in Betlehem. When they arrived there, the people were-stirred-up/became-excited/surprised.d The women said, ‘Is that really Noemi?’ Noemi said to them, ‘You(pl) do- not -call me Noemi, but you(pl) call me Mara, for the Almighty God has-caused- my life -to-become- very -bitter. When- I -left here I had everything, but the LORD caused- me -to-return empty-handed. Therefore you(pl) do- not -call me Noemi anymore, for the LORD Almighty has-caused- me -to-suffer.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When Naomi realized that Ruth was very determined to go with her, she stopped urging her to return home. So the two women continued walking until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived there, everyone in town was excited to see them. The women of the town exclaimed, ‘Can this be Naomi?/It is difficult to believe that this is Naomi!’ Naomi said to them, ‘Don’t call me Naomi, which means ‘pleasant’. Instead, call me Mara, which means ‘bitter’, because God Almighty has made my life very unpleasant. When I left here, I felt rich, because I had a family. But Yahweh has brought me back here and now I feel poor, because I have no family. Do not call me Naomi. I feel as though Yahweh has spoken against (OR, afflicted) me. Almighty God has caused me to experience a great tragedy.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Ruth 3:6 - 3:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 3:6-9:

  • Noongar: “So Ruth went to the threshing floor and she did everything her mother-in-law said. After Boaz ate and drank, and he was feeling happy, he lay down beside the pile of wheat. Ruth crept to him, uncovered his feet, and lay down. In the dark of the night, Boaz was startled. He rolled over and saw a woman lying near his feet. He asked, ‘Who are you?’ The woman replied, ‘I am Ruth, your worker. Cover your worker with your cloak, be- cause you are my right-way man.’” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
  • Eastern Bru: “Then Ruth went to the place where they were threshing grain, and she obeyed all the words her mother-in-law told her. When Boaz had eaten and drunk to his fill, his heart was very happy. Then he went to sleep in the place where the bundles of grain were. Then Ruth came to that place. She quietly lifted the blanket from Boaz’s feet. Then she slept also. In the middle of the night Boaz was startled and he sat up and looked. Then he saw a woman sleeping near his feet. Boaz asked Ruth: ‘Who are you?’ And the woman answered: ‘I am Ruth, your servant. You are of the clan of my husband, so you can take the place of my husband who is dead. If you want to take away my misfortune, I ask you to put your blanket over me as a sign that you agree with me.’” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So she went-down to the place-of-threshing in-order to do all what her mother-in-law said to her. When Boaz had-finished eating and drinking, he felt good. He lay-down beside the pile of barley/grains in-order-to sleep. Ruth approached him quietly/slowly and lifted the blanket at his feet and layed-down there. 8In the middle of the night, Boaz woke-up, and when he stretched-(himself)-out he was surprised that there-was a woman lying at his feet. Boaz asked, ‘Who are you(sg)?’ She replied, ‘I am Ruth. I am your(sg) close relative that you(sg) should take-care-of. Now, cover me with your(sg) clothes to show that you(sg) will-marry and take-care-of me.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So she went down to the ground where they had threshed the barley grain. There she did everything that her mother-in-law had told her to do. When Boaz finished eating supper and drinking wine, he felt happy. Then he went over to the far end of the pile of grain. He lay down and went to sleep. Then Ruth approached him quietly. She took the blanket off his feet and lay down there. In the middle of the night, he suddenly awoke. He sat up and saw that a woman was lying at his feet. He asked her, ‘Who are you?’ She replied, ‘I am your servant, Ruth. Since you are the one who has a responsibility to take care of someone like me whose dead husband was your close relative, spread the corner of your cloak over my feet to show that you will marry me.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Ruth 4:18 - 4:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 4:16-17:

  • Noongar: “These are the descendants of Perez; Perez was the father of Hezron; Hezron was the father of Ram; Ram was the father of Amminadab; Amminadab was the father of Nahshon; Nahshon was the father of Salmon; Salmon was the father of Boaz; Boaz was the father of Obed; Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
  • Eastern Bru: “Then Naomi rased this child with all her heart. After that the women in the town called the child Obed. And they said: “This day Naomi has again a son.” Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of King David.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “This is the line of Perez. Perez had a child named Hezron. And Hezron had a child names Ram. And Ram had a child named Amminadab. And Amminadab had a child named Nashon. And Nashon had a child named Salmon. And Salmon had a child named Boaz. And Boaz had a child named Obed. And Obed had a child named Jesse. And Jesse had a child named David.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Here is a list of the ancestors of King David: Perez’s son was Hezron. Hezron’s son was Ram. Ram’s son was Amminadab. Amminadab’s son was Nahshon. Nahshon’s son was Salmon. Salmon’s son was Boaz. Boaz’s son was Obed. Obed’s son was Jesse. Jesse’s son was King David.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Ruth 1:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 1:22:

  • Noongar: “So Naomi returned from Moab. Ruth of Moab, her son’s wife, she accompanied her. They returned to Bethlehem at the time people were harvesting the wheat.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
  • Eastern Bru: “So Naomi returned to her own country. And Ruth, her daughter-in-law returned with her also. Ruth was a Moabite. The two of them arrived in Bethlehem at the time when they were just starting to harvest grain from the fields in that country.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The harvest-season for barley was-just beginning when Noemi arrived in Betlehem with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabnon.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “That summarizes the account of Naomi returning home along with her daughter-in-law Ruth, the woman from Moab. And it happened that when they arrived in Bethlehem, the barley grain harvest was just beginning.” (Source: Translation for Translators)