Language-specific Insights

complete verse (John 1:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:1:

  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “The Word was living when there was still nothing at all. And that Word lived in the same place God did. And that Word was God himself.”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “When the world began, the person who is the Word was already present. He was with God and the person who is the Word was God.”
  • Chol: “In the beginning of the world there already was the Word. This Word already was with God. This Word was (and still is) God.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Long ago before anything was created, the one who is titled the Word of God already was. This Word of God, he already was with God and he is God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Before the world and heavens/sky was laid-down/spread-out (i.e. existed), there was already Jesus who is called Word/Speech of God. This one referred to as Word, he was already there in the presence of God. Not just in the presence of God but on the contrary, this Word who is Jesus, he indeed is the one who is this God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The Son of God makes it known how God is. When the world was made, already he was living. He was in fellowship with God. He also is God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When before still in the past, there already was the one being — called the Word. The Word is/was now with God, and the Word is/was God himself.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Mairasi: “In the very beginning The Message lived. This Message lived together with Great Above One. And This Message Himself was actually Great Above One.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Bariai: “Prior to the coming forth of everything, Talk was existing. This Talk was existing together with God, and this Talk was God.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Kupsabiny: “In the beginning, there was Word. That Word was together with God. That word was God.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Anindilyakwa: “Right at the beginning, long, long ago, Jesus Christ was there, the one who revealed God who was hidden from us. Before God made the heavens and the earth, right at that time the same one was already there with God. And those two, the same one and God, they were the same/shared the same characteristics.” (Source: Julie Waddy in The Bible Translator 2004, p. 452ff.)
  • Classical Quechua: “In the dawn which had no beginning the Son of God was, and the Son of God was God, the Son of God was with God.” (for more information, click or tap here)

    This translation by Juan Roxo Mexía y Ocón from 1648 is explained by him in the following way: “When the inherent meaning of the Quechua word changes ‘the customary catholic meaning of the Gospel,’ it must be avoided. Instead a phrase should be used which conforms to the meaning of the Gospel. For example, [in] John 1:1 In principio should not be rendered by the word in the language which corresponds to principio, that is, callarij. Its proper meaning is ‘beginning of time,’ and the Evangelist is speaking of ‘the beginningless beginning of eternity.’ Nor should the word verbum be rendered by simi, which is the corresponding term. Its proper meaning is ‘a spoken word,’ whereas the Evangelist speaks of the ‘Eternal Word of the Father,’ that is, his only begotten Son.” (Source William Mitchell in The Bible Translator 1996, p. 301ff. ).

God's anger, wrath of God

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated into English as “the wrath of God” or “God’s anger” has to be referred to in Bengali as judgment, punishment or whatever fits the context. In Bengali culture, anger is by definition bad and can never be predicated of God. (Source: David Clark)

Translations in other languages:

  • Quetzaltepec Mixe: “translated with a term that not only expresses anger, but also punishment” (source: Robert Bascom)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “the coming punishment of God on mankind” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “God’s fearful/terrible future punishing of people” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “the coming anger/hatred of God” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “the punishment which will come” (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “God’s action of anger comes forth in the open” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Mairasi: “His anger keeps increasing (until it will definitely arrive)” (source: Enggavoter 2004)

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御) is used as in mi-ikari (御怒り) or “wrath (of God)” in the referenced verses. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also anger and the coming wrath.

flute

The musical instrument that is most often translated as “flute” or “pipe” in English is more or less universally used, so it’s typically translated directly with the applicable term.

Since its cultural significance is sometimes different it might be translated with a different instruments is some cases (see also below). When in Matthew 11:17 and Luke 7:32 the flute is mentioned as an instrument played at a wedding, the Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999) translates it as “we played the wedding drum for you” (source: Wendland 1987, p. 74), the Yakan and Kankanaey translations use “gongs” (source: Yakan and Kankanaey Back Translations), in Western Bukidnon Manobo “drumming” is used (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation), and in Tagbanwa “stringed-instruments” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).

Or in Jeremiah 48:36 where the flute is used for mourning, Bassa uses “funeral drum” (source: Newman / Stine) or Hiligaynon, while using “flute,” makes the meaning explicit: “like a lonely music of a flute for the dead” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation).

In the UBS Helps for Translators‘ Human-made Things in the Bible (original title: The Works of Their Hands: Man-made Things in the Bible) it says the following:

Description: The flute was a wind instrument consisting of a tube with a series of finger holes used to alter the tone. Some flutes were made of reed and could take several forms: the tube could be a cylinder or it could be more in the shape of a cone. There were instruments made of a single tube, while others had two tubes side by side. Often ancient double flutes or double pipes were arranged in a V-shape, with two separate reeds. One of these pipes had several holes while the other had only one hole and acted as a kind of drone, providing an unchanging tone to accompany the varying tones coming from the first pipe. Some pipes or flutes were made of other materials, such as wood, ivory, bone, or metal.

Usage: Sound was produced with the flute by blowing across an opening leading into a hole running inside the length of the instrument; in some cases the opening hole was in the end of the instrument while in others this hole was in the side of the instrument toward one end. With the reed pipe, on the other hand, a column of air was set in motion by blowing over a reed device, causing it to vibrate.

Translation: If there is no wind instrument available to translate “flute,” a different kind of wind instrument may be used.

The Hebrew word ‘ugav is usually understood to refer to a wind instrument. It is possible, however, that it is a generic term for “instrument” or even refers to a particular stringed instrument. In Job 21:12 and Job 30:31 it is identified as an instrument that expressed joy and contentment.

Psalms 5:1: The Hebrew word nchiloth appears only here in the Old Testament, and its meaning is uncertain. It may mean “wind instruments” in general or “flutes” in particular. Extra-biblical evidence indicates that it may have been an instrument played for funeral laments.

Matthew 9:23: Here New Revised Standard Version, updated edition has “flute players”: According to Jewish tradition, even the poorest people were expected to have two flute players and a wailing woman for a funeral. In order to clarify the role of the flute players Good News Translation adds “for the funeral.” This information was immediately evident to a Jewish reader who was familiar with the funeral customs, but it will not be clear to other readers. Many cultures are familiar with the flute or other instruments that are played by blowing through a wooden tube. If no such instrument exists, then translators can say “those who played musical instruments for a funeral” or, as in Good News Translation, “musicians for the funeral.” See also flute players.

Men playing flutes (source: Louise Bass (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1994)

Quoted with permission.

cymbals

The musical instrument that is most often translated as “cymbals” in English is translated in the following ways:

  • Laarim: “jingles” (source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Uma: “drum” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “tin” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “bamboo clapper” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “percussion-instrument” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “rattling decoration” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Kupsabiny: “drum sticks” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Paicî: “cooking pot lid” (in 1 Cor. 13:1) (Source: Ian Flaws)
  • Natügu: “smacking things” and “banging things” (in Psalm 150:5) (source: Brenda Boerger in Open Theology 2016, p. 179ff. )

In the UBS Helps for Translators‘ Human-made Things in the Bible (original title: The Works of Their Hands: Man-made Things in the Bible) it says the following:

Description: Cymbals were a percussion instrument consisting of two metal discs that were struck together in order to make a shrill, clashing sound. There were two types of cymbals: (1) flat metal plates that were struck together, and (2) metal cones, one of which was brought down on top of the other, on the open end.

Translation: The equivalent of “cymbal” in many languages is a phrase such as “loud metal.”

Cymbals (source: Susan Mitford (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1986)

Quoted with permission.

See also clanging cymbal.

complete verse (Acts 6:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 6:9:

  • Uma: “But there were also those who rejected [him]. Those rejecting ones were members of the house of prayer that was named ‘House of Libertini’ (its meaning: the house of people released from slavery). The members of that house of prayer were Yahudi people from the towns of Kirene and Aleksandria. They along with the Yahudi people from the land of Kilikia and Asia argued with Stefanus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But there were some people who were against him. Those people were members (anak-apu’) of the prayer-house called Prayer-house of the Free-People. They were people from the country/place Kirene, from the city Iskandal, from Kilikiya, and also from the country/place Asiya. They argued with Estepan.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There were also enemies of Stephen. They were the Jews who worshipped in what was called the Worship place of Slaves Who Had Been Set Free. Some of them were from Cyrene, some from Alexandria, some from Silicia, and from Asia. And they argued with Stephen.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But there was also Jews from-Cirene and from-Alexandria who belonged to the synagogue (loan sinagoga) that was called the Synagogue of Freed Slaves. They and other Jews from-Cilicia and from-Asia, they argued with Esteban.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But there were indeed some who opposed him who were Jews belonging to a group called The Released From Slavery. As for these Jews, there were taga Cirene, taga Alejandria, taga Cilicia and taga Asia also. They couldn’t accept that teaching by Esteban, that’s why then challenged/argued-with him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Mark 5:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 5:19:

  • Uma: “But he didn’t permit him, he said to him: ‘Return to your house, tell your fellow-villagers what the Lord God has done for you, and his love to you.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But Isa did not allow him (to come). Isa said to him, ‘Go home to your place. Tell your relatives about the great deed God has done to you and about his mercy/pity to you.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But Jesus did not permit him to go along with him, but rather he said to him, ‘Go home and tell your relatives the very great things that God has done for you, and his mercy to you.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But Jesus refused, saying, ‘It-would-be-good-instead if (lit. Even-if) you (sing.) went-home to your (sing.) companions to go relate everything that the Lord did in pitying you (sing.).'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But Jesus didn’t want that. What he instead said was, ‘It would probably be good if you go home now to your (pl.) place and tell your companions there all that the Lord did for you and how he had pity on you.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (James 2:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of James 2:3:

  • Uma: “If we give more honor to the person whose clothes are good, and we say to him: ‘Come, let’s sit in this good seat,’ yet to the poor person we say: ‘You (sing.) stand over there,’ or we say to him: ‘You (sing.) sit there on the floor,'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If you treat-according-to-custom/honor the person with good clothes more than the one who does not have good clothes and you say to him, ‘Sir, sit here in this nice seat,’ but to the poor person you say, ‘Just stand there in that place,’ or, ‘Sit here on the floor by my feet,'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You show respect to the one whose clothing is good and you say, ‘You be here on this good seat.’ However, that poor person, by contrast, you just say to him, ‘Stand here,’ or, ‘You just sit here on the floor near my chair.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “For-example, if a rich-person wearing-a-ring made-of-gold and wearing-nice -clothes goes to your church and you say to him, ‘Come here so you (sing.) can sit in this nice chair.’ And if a poor-person also arrives wearing-extensively-patched -clothes, but in-contrast you say to him, ‘How-about-if (lit. Even-if) you (sing.) stand there or sit there on the floor,'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Now your welcoming/treatment of those two is not the same. For only that one with the fancy clothes is welcomed/treated well by you, as you say to him, ‘Friend, you sit here in this seat.’ As for that has-not, you insult/belittle him by saying to him, ‘You just stand over there,’ or ‘Only on the floor is where you are to sit.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And then you are respectful to the man with good clothes and say: ‘Sit here in the good seat.’ But to the poor man you say: ‘You stand there, or sit here on the ground.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Acts 7:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 7:26:

  • Uma: “‘The next day he also saw two men fighting, both Israel people. So, because he wanted to make them at peace, that’s why he said to them: ‘Why are you fighting, you who are relatives?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The next morning, he saw two people of Isra’il having a fist fight. He wanted to reconcile them. ‘Friends,’ he said, ‘you are equally of the tribe of Isra’il. Why do you beat/inflict-pain-on one another?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the next day Moses returned, and he saw two Jews who were fighting. He wanted to settle the problem between the two, and he said, ‘Brothers, don’t fight because you are brethren.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When it was the next day (lit. again light), he came-upon two descendants of Israel who were fighting, and he tried to stop-them -fighting saying, ‘Companions, how-come you are hurting-one-another? You are brothers after-all!'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Next day, he saw two of his own people who were fighting. He approached them to stop (them), so that they would settle-their-differences. He said, ‘Expl.! Don’t fight for you are of one blood.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Lalana Chinantec: “It was on a previous day that that happened that Moses went again to see his companions. He met two of his companions who were there fighting. Moses wanted them no longer to fight. He told his companions, ‘You’re of the same type, why are you mistreating your companion?’ That’s what Moses said.”
  • Morelos Nahuatl: “The next day Moses found two Israelites fighting. He wanted to stop them. He said to them, ‘Listen. You are brothers. Why are you fighting?'” (Source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)