The Hebrew and Greek that is translated in English as “you shall not commit adultery” is translated in Toraja-Sa’dan with an established figure of speech: Da’ mupasandak salu lako rampanan kapa’ or “you shall not fathom the river of marriage” (i.e “approach the marriage relationship of another.”) (Source: H. van der Veen in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 21 ff. ).
It is translated as “practice illicit relationship with women” in Tzeltal, as “go in with other people’s wives” in Isthmus Zapotec, as “live with some one who isn’t your wife” in Huehuetla Tepehua, and as “sleep with a strange partner” in Central Tarahumara. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated as “covet” in English is translated as “bulge your eyes over what is someone else’s” in Isthmus Zapotec. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek that is translated in English as “encourage” or “comfort” is translated in Enlhet as “become calm of the innermost.” “Innermost” or valhoc is a term that is frequently used in Enlhet to describe a large variety of emotions or states of mind (for other examples see here). (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. )
In Bacama it is translated as “(to) cool stomach” (source: David Frank in this blog post ), in Yatzachi Zapotec as “cause hearts to mature,” and in Isthmus Zapotec “hearts may lie quiet” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).
The Greek that is translated as “firstborn” in English is translated “he/she that opens the gown” in Batak Toba (because formerly a woman stopped wearing a gown and started using a bodice after the birth of her first child) and “he/she that damages the stalk (i.e. the body)” in Uab Meto. (Source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
In Bawm Chin, the term can imply the existence of younger siblings, so a translation is needed that brings out the fact that Jesus is superior to all else, not just the first of a series. (Source: David Clark)
In Mezquital Otomi it is “the oldest son of all” and in Isthmus Zapotec “oldest child.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “if God is for us” is translated as “if God is in fellowship with us” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui, “if God does not abandon us” in Miahuatlán Zapotec, as “if God is united with us” in Yatzachi Zapotec, as “God is the one who helps us” in Huehuetla Tepehua, as “God himself loves us” in Teutila Cuicatec, as “if God is in our favor” Isthmus Zapotec, and as “if God is our helper” in Highland Totonac. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek that is translated “revel(ing)” or similar in English is translated as “taking part in fiestas where there is disorderly conduct” in Yatzachi Zapotec, as “run around at night” in Isthmus Zapotecand as “go where they do bad things in fiestas” in Huehuetla Tepehua.
In Isthmus Zapotec it is translated as “snobby” and in Sierra de Juárez Zapotec as “thinking they are the people of worth.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “saint” in English is rendered into Highland Puebla Nahuatl as “one with a clean hearts,” into Northwestern Dinka as “one with a white hearts,” and into Western Kanjobal as “person of prayer.” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 146)
The Greek that is translated in English as “debauchery” or “sexual immorality” or similar is translated as “have affairs with women” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui, as “act any old way” in Central Tarahumara, as “live in the street” in Huehuetla Tepehua, as “commit adultery” in Yatzachi Zapotec, as “lie with people” in Mezquital Otomi and as “go after women” in Isthmus Zapotec. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “character” or “experience” in English is translated into Pitjantjatjara as “we become with strength and don’t fall, and God seeing us is pleased.” (Source: Carl Gross)
In Hopi it is translated as “maturity,” in Isthmus Zapotec as “standing firm,” in Central Tarahumara as “being called as doers of good,” in Miahuatlán Zapotec as “showing people we really believe in Christ,” and inCentral Mazahua as “knowing that we passed well.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
The Greek that is often translated as “patriarchs” in English is translated as “first old fathers” in Isthmus Zapotec, as “the ancient fathers” in Tzeltal, as “the old important people who lived long ago were forefathers of the Israelites” in Yatzachi Zapotec, as “the ancient fathers” in Highland Totonac, as “the 12 sons of Jacob” Central Tarahumara, or “the fathers from way back when” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)