Language-specific Insights

vindicate

The Hebrew that is translated in English as “vindicate (me)” or “judge (me favorably)” is translated in these ways:

  • Kupsabiny: “declare me righteous” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “show everyone that I have no guilt” (source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “prove that I do not have sin” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru: “request you say for other people to know I don’t have any sin” (source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim: “say that I am blameless” (source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Hausa: “show that I am lacking fault” (source: Hausa Common Language Bible Back Translation)
  • Mandarin Chinese / German: “give me justice” (Source: Zetzsche)
  • English Translation for Translators: “show that I am innocent/have not done what is wrong” / Easy English Bible: “show that I am not guilty of wrong things”

See also vindicated.

cymbals

The musical instrument that is most often translated as “cymbals” in English is translated in the following ways:

  • Laarim: “jingles” (source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Uma: “drum” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “tin” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “bamboo clapper” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “percussion-instrument” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “rattling decoration” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Kupsabiny: “drum sticks” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Paicî: “cooking pot lid” (in 1 Cor. 13:1) (Source: Ian Flaws)
  • Natügu: “smacking things” and “banging things” (in Psalm 150:5) (source: Brenda Boerger in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. )

In the UBS Helps for TranslatorsHuman-made Things in the Bible (original title: The Works of Their Hands: Man-made Things in the Bible) it says the following:

Description: Cymbals were a percussion instrument consisting of two metal discs that were struck together in order to make a shrill, clashing sound. There were two types of cymbals: (1) flat metal plates that were struck together, and (2) metal cones, one of which was brought down on top of the other, on the open end.

Translation: The equivalent of “cymbal” in many languages is a phrase such as “loud metal.”

Cymbals (source: Susan Mitford (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1986)

Quoted with permission.

See also clanging cymbal.

complete verse (Psalm 89:27)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 89:27:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “I will put him to be my first born child;
    very lifted amidst the kings of the earth.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Again I will make him my eldest son, and leader of the kings of the earth.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “I will-consider him my first-born child, the most powerful of all the kings.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “I will make him to be my firstborn,
    the king who is more than all kings.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Nitamfanya kuwa mwanangu wa kwanza,
    atakuwa mkuu wa wafalme wote duniani.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “I will give him the rights/privileges that a man’s firstborn son has;
    he will be the greatest king on the earth.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 90:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 90:7:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “We have been completed with your wrath;
    and we have been threatened with your disdain.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “We are ruined by Your anger,
    we are terrified by Your great anger.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Your (sing.) anger against us (excl.) cause-us (excl.) -to-be-afraid and destroys (us).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “your anger finishes us,
    and we fear you so much.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Tunaangamizwa na hasira yako,
    kuchukia kwako kunatutetemesha.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Similarly, because of the sins that we have committed, you become angry with us; you terrify us and then you destroy us.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 92:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 92:6:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “A person without wisdom does not know,
    fools do not realize,” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “A person who has no wisdom cannot understand this,
    a fool will not be able to understand it either.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “The foolish ones and senseless ones can- not -understand” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “This matter that the fool does not know,
    people who are fools do not know,” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Mtu mpumbavu hawezi kujua,
    asiye hekima hawezi kuelewa haya.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “There are things that you do that foolish people cannot know about,
    things that stupid people cannot understand.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 94:18)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 94:18:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “When I say that, ‘My foot is slipping,’
    your love, You Jehovah, upholds me.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “I said, "My foot has been slipping,"
    but, O LORD, Your ceaseless faithful love has always given me support,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “When I said to you (sing.), LORD, that I am- now -about-to die, you (sing.) helped me by your (sing.) love.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “I spoke that, ‘My leg slips,’
    LORD, your love saved me.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Wakati nimesema, ‘Natereza,’
    ee BWANA, neema yako ilininyanyua.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “I said/thought to myself, ‘I am about to die,’ but Yahweh, you held me up by faithfully loving me.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 97:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 97:3:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Fire goes in front of him
    and consumes foes in all sides.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Fire goes before him
    and destroys his enemies all around him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “The fire goes-before him burning his enemies in (his) surroundings/around (him).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “The fire goes ahead of him,
    and it burns his enemies in all places.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Moto unatangulia mbele yake,
    unawachoma maadui wake pande zote.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “He sends fire in front of him, and he completely burns all his enemies in that fire.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 100:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 100:5:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “For Jehovah is good and his love is everlasting;
    his faithfulness is established on generations and generations.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “The LORD is good, His love continues forever.
    He is always trustworthy.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “For the LORD (is) good;
    his love (is) without end,
    and his faithfulness continues forever/[lit. until whenever].” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “The LORD is good, his love remains forever,
    and his faithfulness remains forever,
    to reach all people who will still come in future.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Kwa maana BWANA ni mpole,
    neema yake ni ya milele na milele,
    ukweli wake ni wa siku zote.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “because Yahweh always does good things for us. He faithfully loves us,
    and is faithful/is loyal to us forever/will never forsake us.” (Source: Translation for Translators)