Language-specific Insights

crafty

The Hebrew in Genesis 3:1 that is translated as “crafty” or similar in some English is translated in Mwera as ugulumba: “mean, crafty or hypocritical.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

make love

The Hebrew in Genesis 29:21 that is translated as “make love” or similar in English is translated in Mwera as “talk with,” referring to sleeping with someone. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

summer vs. winter

The Hebrew, Ge’ez and Latin that is translated as “summer” and “winter” in English is translated in Chichewa as “dry season” and “wet season.” In Chewa culture, seasons are often defined by the availability of water, which is crucial for agriculture, livestock, and human consumption. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

In Mwera (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext) and in Elhomwe it is translated with a single word — enthawi — that relates to both seasons. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Newari it is translated as “hot time” (summer) and “cold time” (winter) (source: Newari Back Translation).

formless void

The Hebrew in Genesis 1:2 that is translated as “formless (and) void” in some English translations is translated in Mwera as “not moulded properly.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Takwane it is translated as “(That earth was) not good/beautiful (in state/form), nor did it have anything” (source: Jeff Shrum) and in Amele as “chaotic, empty and useless” (source: John Roberts).

Targum Neofiti translates it in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic as “(And the earth was) void and formless, desolate from humans and animals alike. It was empty of all planted vegetation and trees.” Targumim (or: Targums) are translations of the Hebrew Bible into Aramaic. They were translated and used when Jewish congregations increasingly could not understand the biblical Hebrew anymore. Targum Neofiti is the largest of the Aramaic translation of the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible). (Source )

See also tohu wa-bohu.

choice vine

The Hebrew in Genesis 49:11 that is translated as “choice vine” or similar in English is translated in Mwera as “chosen branch of best fruiting.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

children / sons

The Greek in Hebrews 2:10 that is translated as “children” or “sons” in English is translated in Mwera as “sons of God” and in Makonde as “children of God.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

struck with blindness

The Hebrew in Genesis 19:11 that is translated as “struck with blindness” or similar in English is translated in Mwera with the idiom gubhaabhulegenje: “they killed their eyes.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)