Language-specific Insights

one-fifth

The Hebrew in Leviticus 6:5 that is translated as “one-fifth” in English was difficult to translate in a West African language that had no immediately corresponding concept of fraction, percentage or the like. So the translation that was used was: “Take the full (monetary) value, divide it into five equal piles, and add one more pile.” (See this blog entry )

rock badger

The Hebrew that is translated as “rock badger” (or: “rock hyrax”) in English is translated in a West African language as “boulder goat.” (See this blog entry )

In Hiligaynon it is translated as “animals which chews again their cud/food/what-they-ate but their hooves do-not-have splitting, just-like a camel and a rabbit” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation).

See also hyrax.

rows of stones on Aaron's breastpiece

The Hebrew that is translated into a wide and often differing variety of gemstones on Aaron’s breastpiece in English and other translations, was translated with a focus on their colors in a West African language:

Row One: a red stone, a stone the color of the yellow fruit inside the pod of the African locust bean (parkia biglobosa ), and a blue colored stone mixed with the color of fresh growth on trees (green)

Row Two: deep red stone, a blue colored stone, diamond

Row Three: a stone the color of an orange, a stone with many colored stripes, a stone the color of a local purple fruit

Row Four: a stone of deep green color, a stone with splotches of color, and a green stone.

(See this blog entry )

The Manya translators “only knew a word for diamond, so we transliterated the others, giving some idea of the color for each one.” (Source: Don Slager)

See also jewels in the New Jerusalem.

complete verse (Psalm 1:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 1:6:

  • Chichewa Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero translation, 2002/2016:
    “For Jehovah watches over the movements of righteous people,
    but the movements of wicked people will perish.” (Source: Chichewa Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “For the Lord cares for those who follow
    the path of the righteous.
    But those who follow the way
    of the wicked will be destroyed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “For the Lord guides/leads the righteous-ones
    but the way-of-living of the wicked brings them to destruction.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “Whatever person does not follow the teaching of the evil person,
    or does not do according to what the sinner does, or does not follow/imitate those
    those who customarily mock God, surely that person receives blessing.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “Because the Lord watches the way of good people,
    but, the way of bad people will end in death.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • West African language:
    “God will show his good ways to the ones at his back,
    but he will let sinners follow the way to perdition.” (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1983, p. 420ff. )
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Kwa maana Bwana anazilinda njia za wanyofu,
    lakini njia za waovu ziko karibu kuangamizwa.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “because he guides and protects righteous people,
    but the path that the wicked walk on leads them to where they will be destroyed/punished by God forever.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 1:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 1:1:

  • Chichewa Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero translation, 2002/2016:
    “Blessed (is) a person.
    who does not follow the counsel of sinful people,
    or stand in the path of wicked people,
    or sit in the groups of scornful people.” (Source: Chichewa Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “Blessed is the person
    who does not follow evil people,
    who does not follow the path of sinners,
    who does not go along with those
    who keep on belittling others.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Blessed is the man/person who does- not -live in the guidance/advice of the wicked people,
    does- not -follow what the sinners do,
    and does- not -join-with the people who mock/ridicule.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “Whatever person does not follow the teaching of the evil person,
    or does not do according to what the sinner does, or does not follow/imitate those
    those who customarily mock God, surely that person receives blessing.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “Blessed be the person
    who does not follow the instructions of bad people,
    or who does not follow the way of sinners,
    or does not stay with people who mock God.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • West African language:
    “If you want to be truly happy do not hear the advice of bad people,
    do not walk in the feet of those who refuse God?
    Do not live in the compound of those who spoil God’s name.” (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1983, p. 420ff. )
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Amebarikiwa ambaye hayafuati maneno ya waovu,
    ambaye haendi katika njia za watenda dhambi,
    ambaye hakai katika ambao wanadharau.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “God is pleased with those who do not do what wicked people advise them to do,
    and who do not imitate the behavior of sinful people,
    and who do not join in with people who ridicule/sneer at God.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 1:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 1:2:

  • Chichewa Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero translation, 2002/2016:
    “But his delight is in the laws of Jehovah
    and in his laws he meditates day and night.” (Source: Chichewa Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “But he rejoices in the law of the Lord.
    Night and day he meditates on His law.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “Instead, he (is) happy in following the teachings that (come) from the Lord,
    and he meditates on these day-(and)-night.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “But that person, he is very happy/delighted with the law of God only.
    And he spends time thinking about the book of that law all night and all day.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “But, he will rejoice in the Law of Lord,
    and he thinks the Law of Lord day and night.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • West African language:
    If you want to be truly happy, let your belly be sweet on God’s command words.
    Let your mind eat them day and night.” (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1983, p. 420ff. )
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Bali sheria za Bwana ndizo ambazo zinampendeza,
    anaziwaza mchana na usiku.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “Those whom God is pleased with delight in doing the things that he has instructed/taught us to do.
    They read and think about Yahweh’s requirements, day and night.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 1:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 1:3:

  • Chichewa Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero translation, 2002/2016:
    “He is like a tree planted in the banks of rivers of water,
    which bears its fruits in its season
    and its leaves do not wither.
    Anything that he does he profits from it.” (Source: Chichewa Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “He is like a tree planted on a river bank.
    He always bears fruit at the proper times
    and his leaves never dry up.
    Whatever work he does gets finished.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “He is like a tree planted beside the stream
    that bears-fruit in season of bearing-fruit,
    and (whose) leaves do- not -wither.
    A man like this will-prosper in what he does.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru:
    “That person becomes like a tree someone planted near flowing water.
    At the appropriate time, it produces fruit, and its leaves never wither/dry up.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “He is like a tree planted at the bank of river,
    its bears always when its months reach.
    Its leaves do not dry.
    All the good matters he does, stay well.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • West African language:
    “Then you will be like a river-by tree whose leaves the sun cannot kill,
    whose children are always ripe at the right time.
    Then everything you do will finish on a good road.” (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1983, p. 420ff. )
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Huyo yuko kama vile mti,
    ambao umepandwa kando katika chemchemi ya maji,
    ambao unazaa matunda katika wakati wake,
    na majani yake hayanyauki.
    Yote ambayo anayafanya yanakuwa ni mema.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “They constantly produce/do things that please God
    just like fruit trees that have been planted along the banks of a stream produce fruit at the right time every year.
    Like trees that never wither,
    they succeed in everything that they do.” (Source: Translation for Translators)