The Greek that is often translated as “patriarchs” in English is translated as
- “first old fathers” in Isthmus Zapotec
- “the ancient fathers” in Tzeltal / Highland Totonac
- “the old important people who lived long ago were forefathers of the Israelites” in Yatzachi Zapotec
- “the 12 sons of Jacob” Central Tarahumara
- “the fathers from way back when” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
- “chiefs over each of the clans of Israel” in Bariai (source: Bariai Back Translation)
- “our twelve grandfathers” in Kupsabiny (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- “twelve children from where Jews came-from” in Hiligaynon (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
The Greek in Romans 1:30 that is translated as “slanderer” or “backbiter” or similar in English is translated as “raised up lies about their fellow people” in Central Mazahua, as “talk ugly about their fellows” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui, as “those who give a vicious twist to what they hear” in Highland Totonac, and as “hunted people’s sin” in Huehuetla Tepehua. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated as sie leisten Spitzeldienste or “they are informers.”
The Greek in Matthew 1:17 that is rendered as “generations” in English is translated into Sierra Totonac as “growings.” (2nd translation into Sierra Totonac of 1999.)
See also (this) generation and all generations.
The Greek that is usually translated as “humble” or “lowly” in English is translated as
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “one who doesn’t elevate himself”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “those who think they aren’t worth much”
- Alekano: “those who stay low” (source for this and above: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.)
- Mezquital Otomi: “poor brothers”
- Isthmus Zapotec: “ones who little-honored”
- Highland Totonac: “just ordinary people”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “poor people who have nothing” (source for this and three above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).
- Low German: “those who don’t account to anything in other people’s eyes” (source: translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006)
- Kako: “those who lower the heart” (source: Reyburn 2002, p. 190)
See also humble (mind).
The Greek, Hebrew, and Ge’ez that is rendered as “faithful” in English is (back-) translated in various ways:
See also faith / believe.
The Greek in Matthew 1:18 that is rendered into English as “birth” is translated into Sierra Totonac as lakatunkuwi: “born to see the morning.” (The Sierra Totonac word for Christmas is lakatunkuwit.) (2nd translation into Sierra Totonac of 1999.)
See also bear (child), give birth.
The Greek in Romans 11:24 that is translated as “contrary to nature” or similar in English is translated as “where you didn’t spring up” in Isthmus Zapotec, as “contrary to what you belong to” in Highland Totonac, and as “which is contrary to your normal way in that you are not the good branches of the good tree” in North Alaskan Inupiatun. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek and Hebrew that are often translated as “miracles” or “miraculous powers” into English are translated as “thing which no one has ever seen before” (San Blas Kuna), “thing marveled at” (Tepeuxila Cuicatec), “breathtaking thing” (Ngäbere), “long-necked thing” (referring to the onlookers who stretch their necks to see) (Huautla Mazatec), “sign done by God’s power” (Mossi), “supernatural power” (Javanese), “thing that has heaven-strength” (Highland Totonac) (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida), “amazing thing” (Muna) (source: René van den Berg), “sign no one else could do” (Tenango Otomi) (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125), or “impossible thing” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004).
See also wonder.
