Language-specific Insights

couches

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “couches” or similar in English is translated in Elhomwe with “couches for the party” for clarity’s sake. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See also couch.

sword (Luke 2:35)

The Greek that is translated as “sword” in English is translated in Elhomwe as “pity.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

invoke your name

The Greek in Acts 9:14 that is translated as “who invoke your name” or similar in English is translated in Elhomwe as “who worship you.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

harden heart

The Hebrew that is translated into English as forms of “(to not) harden heart” is translated into other languages with their own vivid idioms; for example, Thai uses “black-hearted” (source: Bratcher / Hattoon, p. 272), Pökoot uses makany kwoghïghitu mötöwekwo: “do not let become hard your heads” (source: Gerrit van Steenbergen), Anuak has “make liver strong” (source: Loren Bliese), and The Hebrew that is translated as “divination” or similar in English is translated in Elhomwe has “dried heart” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext).

See also hardness of heart, harden, and see Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling.”

brother (older brother)

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “brother” in English is translated in Kwere as sekulu, in Elhomwe as mbalaawo´, and in Mandarin Chinese as gēgē (哥哥), all “older brother.”

Note that Kwere also uses lumbu — “older sibling” in some cases. (Source for Kwere and Elhomwe: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext; Chinese: Jost Zetzsche)

In Lama it is translated as “older or younger brother.” (Source: Neal Brinneman)

See also older brother (Japanese honorifics).