Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Psalm 144:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 144:12:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “And the male children at their youthhood
    they will be like a seed well taken care of,
    our female children will be like pillars
    well crafted, for beautifying the kingship house.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “In the time of their youth, our sons are like trees becoming large,
    and our daughters are like engraved corner pillars for a palace.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “May-it-be that our (excl.) male children/(sons), while they (are) still young, will-be/become like plants that grow healthier/stronger,
    and our (excl.) female children/(daughters) will-be/become like beautiful pillars of a palace.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “And our young sons will stay,
    like trees that planted well,
    and our girls will stay
    like beautiful pillars of the big house of the king.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Watoto wetu wavulana katika ujana wao,
    wawe kama vilivyopandwa ambavyo vinastawi.
    Wasichana wawe kama nguzo,
    ambazo watu wanajengea ikulu.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “I wish/hope that our young sons will grow up to be like strong plants,
    and I wish/hope that our daughters will grow up to be straight and tall
    like the pillars that stand in the corners of palaces.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 146:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 146:8:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Jehovah opens eyes (of) of the blind people,
    Jehovah raises all who have bent down,
    Jehovah loves righteous people.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “The LORD causes the eyes of the blind to see,
    He causes those who have fallen down to stand.
    The LORD loves good people.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “he heals the blind ones in-order to-be-able-to-see,
    he strengthens the weak ones,
    he loves the righteous ones,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “LORD gives the blind to see.
    LORD helps the people who suffer,
    the LORD loves good people.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “BWANA anawafungua macho vipofu,
    BWANA anawainua ambao wameinamia chini,
    anawapenda watu wanyofu.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Yahweh enables those who are blind to see again.
    He lifts up those who have fallen down.
    He loves righteous people.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 148:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 148:10:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “you animals of the bush and all cows,
    you small creatures and flying birds.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “wild and domesticated animals,
    creeping animals and flying birds,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “all animals: tame/domesticated or not, animals that crawl, and those that fly.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “wild animals and domestic animals,
    small animals and birds that fly,” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Muwe mnamsifu, enyi wanyama wa porini, na mifugo,
    ambavyo vinatambaa, na ndege.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “all the wild animals and all you cattle, and the reptiles/ creatures that scurry across the ground,
    and all the birds, I tell all of them to praise Yahweh!” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Luke 1:73)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 1:73:

  • Noongar: (combined with verse 74) “He spoke solemnly to Abraham, our ancestor. He gave his sacred word. He would save us so evil people do not hurt us, and so we can work for God, without fear.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “He promised and vowed to Abraham our ancestor long ago, that he would free us from the power of our enemies, so that we could praise him without fear,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “that is the covenant that he swore about to our (incl.) forefather Ibrahim.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “His promise long ago to our ancestor Abraham was very strong” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “He also promised our ancestor Abraham” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “This is his far from ordinary promise which he promised with an oath to our forefather Abraham,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999): “He also promised Abraham, our ancestor, by making an oath,” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 154)

complete verse (Revelation 11:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 11:18:

  • Uma: “All the people who do not follow you (sing.), they are riled-up/all-out wanting to oppose you (sing.). But the time has come you (sing.) make appear your (sing.) anger to them. The time has come when you (sing.) judge the cases of people who have died. The time has come for you (sing.) to give gifts to you (sing.) slaves: to the prophets who carry your (sing.) Word, to people who submit to you (sing.), and to all the people who honor you (sing.), the important or the unimportant ones [lit., the ones with big or little lives]. The time has come for you (sing.) to punish people who wreck /make-evil the world.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The people who don’t believe-obey you are very angry, because the time has come now for your wrath to come to them, and the time for you to judge the dead. The time has come when you will reward your servants, the prophets, and all people belonging to you, all who respect you, great and small equally. This is the time for destroying all those who destroyed in the world.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Your enemies were very angry with You, but the day for Your punishing them has arrived, and also the day for Your investigating the deeds of those already dead. It is now the time for Your rewarding Your servants the prophets and Your rewarding also all people who belong to You, whether their status is big or whether their status is small, everyone who respects You. This is also the time for You to destroy all people who have destroyed the earth.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Those who oppose you (sing.), extreme is their anger, but now, the time has arrived when-you (sing.) -will-punish them, because now is the time when-you (sing.) -will-judge all the dead. Now also is the time when-you (sing.) -will-recompense the prophets who serve you (sing.) and all your (sing.) people who esteem you (sing.), those who are low (i.e. poor, lacking influence) and also those who are high, while at-the-same-time you (sing.) destroy those who have destroyed people on the earth.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The anger/hatred of those nations who don’t acknowledge you is really terrible. But well, the time has now been reached when you will now cause your anger to be comprehended. The time has been reached to judge/sentence the ones who have died, and to give rewards to the prophets who are your servants, and all your people, as many as have fear and respect for you, high/important blood and low-class/ordinary. Now really is the time when you will cause to suffer greatly those under the heavens who are causing suffering.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The people who live in the world who reject your word were angry. But now has come the day when you also are angry. Concerning those who have died, now has come the time for you to judge them. Concerning your workers who have spoken for you, you will give them their wages. All of the people who are in your hand, little and big, all who reverence you, to all will you give their wages. Now has come the time that you finish the people who do damage here on earth with whatever evil they do.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999): “Pagan people became angry, but the time has come to show your wrath, that is the time for judging the dead. The time has come for you to give a reward to your servants, the prophets, and to your people, that is all of them, the small ones and the great ones, who reverence your name. The time has come for you to destroy those who destroy this world.” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 166)

sycamore, sycomore

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “sycamore” in English is translated in Chichewa as mkuyu or “fig tree.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 72)

 

The use of “sycomore” might be preferable to “sycamore,” since the “o” spelling preserves the Latin (sycomorus) and Greek (sukomorea) better and is used in French.

The Sycomore Fig Ficus sycomorus, also called the Mulberry Fig (compare German Maulbeerfeigenbaum), is a type of fig that is found especially in lowland areas in the Mediterranean region. It was known in Egypt as early as 3000 B.C. but also in the Indus Valley in India.

The prophet Amos identified himself as “a dresser of sycamore trees” (Amos 7:14). It is possible that this refers to the practice of making a cut in the immature fruit, which has the effect of accelerating the growth of the fruit. Hepper (Baker Encyclopedia of Bible Plants: Flowers and Trees, Fruits and Vegetables, Ecology. Baker Book House, 1992) reports that this sudden growth is caused by ethylene gas released when the fruit is cut.

The sycomore fig is not a tall tree (up to 10 meters [33 feet]) but has large low, spreading branches — just right for a short man to climb up in order to see over a crowd of taller people (see the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:4). The fruit, while edible, is not as juicy or sweet as the more common variety. The most unusual thing about the fruit is that it grows in bunches right on the trunk and branches of the tree rather than among the leaves.

In 1 Kings 10:27 the sycomore is used as an image of something plentiful. The last half of this verse says “he [King Solomon] made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah.” Translators should take care with the logic here. The verse does not say that Solomon would introduce cedars into the lowlands (the Shephelah), but rather that just as there are plenty of sycomores in the lowlands, there will be plenty of cedars in the land of Israel.

Translators need to deal with both sycomore and fig at the same time. If the translation leans toward foreignization, the translator may want to transliterate both fig and sycomore (sikomori, for example). It may be useful to use the full name sycomore fig in some cases. If a local type of fig is known, the translator could use the local name for the domestic fig (Hebrew te’enah, Greek sukē), and add the word “wild” or “lowland” when referring to the sycomore fig (Hebrew shiqmah, Greek sukomorea).

Where figs are totally unknown, transliterations can be made from an international language, for example, French (sycomore), Spanish (sicomoro), or Hebrew (shiqmah). In contrast to the regular fig, the sycomore grows in the lower elevations (Shephelah), a fact that could potentially come into use in a translation (for example, “lowland fig”).

Sycomore fig, Wikimedia Commons

Source: Each According to its Kind: Plants and Trees in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 2:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 2:4:

  • Chichewa Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero translation, 2002/2016:
    “The one sitting on high is laughing;
    The Lord is scorning them.” (Source: Chichewa Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “The one on the throne in heaven will laugh,
    The LORD will not even be concerned about them.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “But the Lord who sits on his throne there in heaven just laughs and loathes/mocks them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “But God, who lives in the sky, he laughs at them and mocks them.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “And LORD who is sitting down on chair in heaven, mocks at them,
    and he is just playing with them.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Ambaye anakaa mbinguni anacheka,
    Bwana anawadharau.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “But Yahweh, the one who sits on his throne in heaven, laughs at them;
    he ridicules those rulers.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 5:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 5:8:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “Guide me You Jehovah, by your righteousness
    because of my enemies and
    straighten your path before me.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “O LORD! Lead me into the good way.
    Make Your way straight before me.
    Otherwise my enemies will defeat me.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “LORD, because my enemies (are) many,
    guide/lead me according-to your (sing.) righteousness,
    and make my following your (sing.) ways easy.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “Oh God the straight good (righteous) God, there are many people who hate me (are my enemies). I request that you lead me to follow your straight good road.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “LORD lead me in your goodness,
    because of my enemies.
    Let your way to be seen, so that I follow.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Ee BWANA, uniongoze katika unyofu wako,
    kwa maana maadui zangu wengi.
    Uinyooshe njia yako mbele yangu,” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Yahweh, because you act righteously toward me,
    show me what is right for me to do.
    Because I have many enemies, show me clearly what you want me to do.” (Source: Translation for Translators)