The Hebrew in Psalm 77:3 that is translated as “my spirit faints” in English is translated in Indonesian as “my heart faints” (Common Language Translation) (source: Daniel Arichea in The Bible Translator 1983, p. 209ff. )
See also faint.
Language-specific Insights
spirit was troubled
The Hebrew in Genesis 41:8 that is translated as “his spirit was troubled” or similar in English is translated in Indonesian as “his heart was perplexed” (Alkitab Terjemahan Baru translation) (source: Daniel Arichea in The Bible Translator 1983, p. 209ff. )
See also troubled and cut to the heart / hearts were troubled.
beside himself, out of his mind
The Greek in Mark 3:21 that is translated as “beside himself” or “lost his mind” or other variations in English is (back-) translated by the following languages like this:
- Tzeltal: “his head had been touched” (“an expression to identify what might be called the half-way stage to insanity”)
- Amganad Ifugao: “he acts as though he were crazy”
- Shilluk: “he is acting like an imbecile”
- Shipibo-Conibo: “his thoughts have gone out of him”
- Pamona: “he is outside his senses”
- Indonesian: “he is not by his reason” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida 1961)
- Mairasi: “his vision/thinking dried up” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
slow of heart
The Greek in Luke 24:25 that is often translated as “slow of heart” in English is translated as
gentle and quiet spirit
The phrase in 1 Peter 3:4 that is translated in some English versions with “gentle and quiet in spirit” was translated into Kahua with the idiom that verbatim says “be beautiful in your belly.” (Source: Daniel Clark)
In the Tagalog and Indonesian Common Language Translations it is translated as “gentle character” (source: Daniel Arichea in The Bible Translator 1983, p. 209ff. )
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated as “the gentle and peaceful Holy Spirit.”
See also gentleness and spirit of gentleness.
You son of a rebellious woman
The Hebrew in 1 Samuel 20:30 that is translated often very carefully in English as “You son of a rebellious woman” or the like is translated is some common language translations from around the world much more directly. Indonesian Bahasa Indonesia Masa Kini: Anak haram jadah! or “You bastard!”, German Gute Nachricht Bibel: Du Bastard! or “You bastard!”, or Mandarin Chinese Today’s Chinese Version: Nǐ zhè chùshēng (你這畜生!) or “You beast!” (this is also used in Yue Chinese (Cantonese)). (See also Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 20:30)
abyss, bottomless pit
The Greek and Ge’ez that is translated as “abyss” or “bottomless pit” in English is translated as “unfathomably deep place” or “land below” in Indonesian, “land below” in Batak Toba, or “the deep where the earth opens its mouth” in Sranan Tongo (a term well-known from folk tales). (Source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
In a 1922 translation into Chagatai, a precursor language of both Uzbek and Uighur, it is translated with hāwiyat, derived from the Arabic Islamic Al-Hāwīya (الهاوية), “the lowest level of the hell” (Source: F. Erbay and F.N. Küçükballı in Acta Theologica 2025 45/2, p. 133ff. and Hawiya )
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated as as Höllenschlund or “entrance to hell (lit.: “throat of hell”).”
See also bottomless pit.
made life bitter
The Hebrew in Genesis 26:35 that is translated as “made life bitter” or similar in English is translated in Indonesian as “made heart bitter” (Alkitab Terjemahan Baru translation) (source: Daniel Arichea in The Bible Translator 1983, p. 209ff. )
In Nyamwezi, nnandyo is used, a term that communicates that “they brought sorrow/bitterness into their lives (from this point forward).” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)