The Hebrew that is typically translated as “anointed (one)” in English is translated in Bashkir as masikh (мәсих), the same term that is used in the New Testament for Μεσσίας (engl. “Messiah”) and Χριστός (engl. “Christ”).
Translation team member Gulsira Gizatullina explains (in a translation from Bashkir by Teija Greed):
“When we were choosing in the team the term for ‘to anoint,’ from the very start we did not go for the simple verb ‘to rub (with) oil; to oil’ (which is used in contexts like ‘oiling one’s hair when combing it’ or ‘oiling a frying pan’), because we felt that this verb cannot fully express the true meaning [of the biblical concept]. The terms masekhlay [anoint], masekh mayy [anointing oil], Masikh [Messiah] also exist in Islam, and they are familiar terms to [Bashkir] Muslims who know religious terminology. That is why we chose masekhlay [for the concept ‘to anoint’].”
Teija Greed explains further: “The Turkic language Bashkir spoken in Russia uses the Bashkir word masikh (мәсих) for the Hebrew mashiach in Ps 2:2 [and in other places in the Old Testament], with a lower-case ‘m.’ The Bashkir team decided that this is how the Hebrew meaning ‘anointed one’ is translated everywhere. The link with the New Testament’s Masikh — capitalized — is therefore very easy to understand. Masikh (Мәсих) is known from the Qur’an as being Jesus’ title. The idea about using masikh for the general ‘anointed one’ was first introduced by one of the translators, and I’d think the link with the original Hebrew term is not generally known. However, we in the team find this a practical way to make the Bashkir audience aware of both the meaning of the word, and the connection between the two Testaments.”
In Chichewa, it is translated with wodzozedwa. In Chewa culture, this word is used to refer to people of authority such as chiefs who are anointed through the ritual of pouring oil on their head when they are being installed. The pouring of oil symbolizes receiving of spiritual powers that they may act wisely and justly under the guidance of God. This ritual also signifies that leadership comes from God and that it can be done accordingly if leaders depend on God. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
The Greek terms that are translated as “five thousand” and “four thousand” in these verses have to be translated descriptively in some languages, such as “ant heap” (Shona) or “large/uncountable number” (Chichewa, Yao).
The interconfessional Chichewa translation (publ. 1999) uses the ideophone thapsa to describe a flopping motion when going down. (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 105)
Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)
Aari: “the day our Savior comes” (in Rom 13:11) (source: Loren Bliese)
in Mairasi its is translated as “life fruit” or “life fruit all mashed out.” Lloyd Peckham explains: “In secret stories, not knowable to women nor children, there was a magical fruit of life. If referred to vaguely, without specifying the specific ‘fruit,’ it can be an expression for eternity.” And for “all masked out” he explains: “Bark cloth required pounding. It got longer and wider as it got pounded. Similarly, life gets pounded or mashed to lengthen it into infinity. Tubers also get mashed into the standard way of serving the staple food, like the fufu of Uganda, or like poi of Hawaii. It spreads out into infinity.” (See also eternity / forever)
In Lisu a poetic construct is used for this term. Arrington (2020, p. 58f.) explains: “A four-word couplet uses Lisu poetic forms to bridge the abstract concrete divide, an essential divide to cross if Christian theology is to be understood by those with oral thought patterns. Each couplet uses three concrete nouns or verbs to express an abstract term. An example of this is the word for salvation, a quite abstract term essential to understanding Christian theology. To coin this new word, the missionary translators used a four-word couplet: ℲO., CYU. W: CYU (person … save … person … save). In this particular case, the word for person was not the ordinary word (ʁ) but rather the combination of ℲO., and W: used in oral poetry. The word for ‘save’ also had to be coined; in this case, it was borrowed from Chinese [from jiù / 救]. These aspects of Lisu poetry, originally based on animism, likely would have been lost as Lisu society encountered communism and modernization. Yet they are now codified in the Lisu Bible as well as the hymnbook.”
In the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) it is translated with chipulumutso which is used to refer to an act of helping someone who is in problems but cannot help him/herself come out of the problems because of weakness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
The Greek that is translated as “saint” in English is rendered into Highland Puebla Nahuatl as “one with a clean hearts,” into Northwestern Dinka as “one with a white hearts,” and into Western Kanjobal as “person of prayer.” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 146)
Chichewa “(person with a) white heart” since “white” is the word that is used in Chichewa for the translation of “holy.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
The Hebrew in 1 Kings 20:11 that is translated as “One who puts on armour should not brag like one who takes it off” or similar in English is translated in Chitonga with the existing idiom “A man is a buffalo” (i.e., one cannot brag that he is as strong as a water buffalo until after he has defeated his opponent) and in Chichewa (interconfessional translation) as “You’re as good as your fellow upon the anthill only after you’ve climbed up there yourself.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 107)
Chichewachipongwe Mulungu. Chipwonge is used to refer to acts or derogatory remarks that dishonor another person. (Mulungu is the Chichewa word for “God.”) (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
The Greek in Romans 7:24 that is translated in English as “body of death” is translated in Chichewa as khalidwe langa lino londidzetsera imfa or “this nature of mine that brings death upon me” (interconfessional translation, publ. 1999). (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 91)
