The Greek in Hebrews 9:4 that is translated as “Aaron’s rod” or “Aaron’s stick” in English is translated in Mwera as “Aaron’s walking stick.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Language-specific Insights
second-in-command
The Hebrew in Genesis 41:43 that is translated as “second-in-command” or similar in English is translated in Mwera as kujangutila jwa shitengu or “helper of the throne.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
one's life is closely bound up with someone’s life
The Hebrew in Genesis 44:30 that is translated as “his father’s life is closely bound up with the boy’s life” or similar in English is translated in Mwera idiomatically as “his heart is bound to that young man.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
See also bound up.
you went up onto your father’s bed and defiled it
The Hebrew in Genesis 49:4that is translated as “you went up onto your father’s bed and defiled it” or similar in English is translated in Mwera as “you slept with my wife who is also in slavery.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
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)