Translation Insights and Perspectives
The Hebrew and Aramaic that is translated as “gods” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as ap enehime fanowon — “the good spirits (of the deceased one).” (Source: Daud Soesilo)
The Greek in 1 Corinthians is translated in Quetzaltepec Mixe similarly with a term that makes clear that these are good or bad spirits, not gods which can be compared to God. (Source: Robert Bascom)
The Aramaic that is often translated as “all his works are truth (or: right)” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “as God walks along he builds garden.”
The Aramaic that is often translated as “(King Belshazzar) made a great feast” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “bakar batu” — “heated up stones (so as to have a feast).”
The Aramaic that is translated as “perplexed” or “puzzled” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “swollen heart.”
The Hebrew that is translated as “disgrace” or something similar in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “to trample someone in the mud.”
The Hebrew that is translated as “(if not, tell me, that I may) turn to the right hand or to the left” or similar in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “…do I have to look for another young woman.”
The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are translated as “wine” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “grape juice pressed long ago (= fermented)” or “strong water” (source: Daud Soesilo). In Guhu-Samane it is also translated as “strong water” (source: Ernest L. Richert in Notes on Translation December 1963: p. 4-7; reprinted in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 198ff.).
See also proceeds from the vine / anything that comes from the grapevine.
The Hebrew that is often translated as “by your sword you shall live” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “you will live by using your big knife to rob.”
The Hebrew that is often translated as “cut off your strength” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “cut off your hand” (i.e., kill one’s children, leaving no posterity).
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Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff.)