The Greek that is translated as “woe to you” or similar in English is translated in Martu Wangka as “you sit as sorry ones” (source: Carl Gross). Toraja-Sa’dan has two expressions that can be used: upu’ allomu or “to-their-end are your days” and sumpu sumandakmu or “finished is what-is-measured-out to you.” In the case of Luke 10:13, where “woe” is doubled, both are used for stylistic, non-repetitive purposes (see Reiling / Swellengrebel).
In Matumbi it is translated as Wakibona or “You will see” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext) and in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) with a phrase containing tsoka, a word to describe something bad that happens (or may happen) to a person because of doing something against established traditions in a community (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation).
In Hebrew it is translated as oy (אוֹי) and in Yiddish as oy (אוי) or vey (וֵויי). Note that oy vey in combination is also commonly used in Yiddish as an interjection of dismay and vey is derived from the GermanWehe (which in turn has the same root than the English woe). (Source: Jost Zetzsche)
The Hebrew that is translated as “throat” in English is translated in Sar as “belly of my neck.” (Source: Ngarbolnan Riminan in Le Sycomore 2000, p. 20ff. )
In the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) it is translated with the word for “neck,” which in some cases can also refer to “throat.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
The Hebrew in Psalm 21:12 that is translated as “flight” or similar in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) similar to the original Hebrew with the idiom “showing one’s back.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
The interconfessional Chichewa translation (publ. 1999) uses the ideophones noninoni and chuchuchu in Song of Songs 5:5. Noninoni is used to emphasize a smooth and slippery substance with a tactile and sensual component (“my hands were slick with myrrh”) and chuchuchu describes a the sound of a gentle, continuous dropping. (Source: Ernst Wendland)
Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)
The Hebrew that is translated as “sustain” or “uphold(er)” or similar in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) with amandichirikiza. This word is used to refer to a kind of support that is given to hold something that is at risk of falling. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
The Hebrew in Psalm 84:6 that is translated as “early rain” or similar in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) with “light rains.” In Malawi context, where Chichewa is mostly spoken, the light rain in reference is the type of rain that comes in the months of September or October to mark the end of the dry season. During the dry season, most bushes are set on fire. This makes the bushes to be covered with black ashes from the fire. The understanding is that the light rains cool the soil from the heat of the bush-fire and also remove the black ashes. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
The Greek that is translated as “propitiation” or “atoning sacrifice” in English is translated in South Bolivian Quechua as “putting out [as in putting out a fire] on account of our sins” (source: T.E. Hudspith in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 66ff. ).
In Chichewa, it is translated as nsembe yopepsera machimo athu or “a sacrifice for saying sorry for our sins” (interconfessional translation, publ. 1999) and in Chitonga as cipaizyo cakumanya mulandu or “the sacrifice for putting an end to the case/offense [of our sins].” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 91)
The Hebrew in Psalm 23:4 that is translated as “rod” or similar in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) with chibonga which means “club.” In Chewa culture, a “chibonga” is a stick of about 75cm long with a round head of the size of a fist of an adult on one end used for hunting animals (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
