The Greek in John 2:4 that is tramslated in English as “my hour has not yet come” or similar is translated in Huehuetla Tepehua as “the moment hasn’t come when I can do anything,” in Ojitlán Chinantec as “it has not yet arrived, the time of my showing myself,” in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac as “it is not yet time for my task to begin, and in Yatzachi Zapotec as “my hour has yet to come for me to help people.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Language-specific Insights
full inclusion
The Greek in Romans 11:12 that is translated in English as “full inclusion” or similar is translated as “return to their place” in Isthmus Zapotec, as “be called back by God” in Tzeltal, as “when they believe well” in Central Tarahumara, as “when God reinstates them” in Yatzachi Zapotec, and as “when they again become many who believe” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
cast lots
The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “casting” or “drawing lots” in English is often translated with a specific idiom, such as “to take out bamboo slips” — 掣 籤 chè qiān (in most Mandarin Chinese Bibles), “each to pick-up which is-written (i.e. small sticks inscribed with characters and used as slots)” (Batak Toba), a term for divination by means of reed stalks (Toraja-Sa’dan).
In some cases a cultural equivalent is not available, or it is felt to be unsuitable in this situation, e.g. in Ekari where “to spin acorns” has the connotation of gambling, one may have to state the fact without mentioning the means, e.g. “it came to him,” (source for this and all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel). In Shipibo-Conibo there was no equivalent for “casting lots” so the translation for Mark 15:24 is descriptive: “they shook little things to decide what each one should take” (source: Nida 1952, p. 47).
Other solutions include:
- Purari: “throw shells” (source: David Clark)
- Kwara’ae (in Acts 1:26) “they played something like dice to find out who of the two God chose (God revealed his will that way)” (source: Carl Gross)
- Navajo (Dinė): “draw straws”
- Yatzachi Zapotec “raffle”
- Chol “choose by a game” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125)
- Chichimeca-Jonaz: “threw one or two little hard things that had a sign…to see which person it would be”
- Kekchí: “try with luck”
- Lalana Chinantec: “there were little things they played with that made evident who it would be who would be lucky”
- Chuj: “enter luck upon them”
- Ayutla Mixtec: “put out luck” (Source for this and five above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
- Lacandon: “play with small stones in order to see who was going to win” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
- Matumbi: mpumbe a game of chance, typically done with a stone hidden in one hand while you present two fists to a guesser (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
In North Alaskan Inupiatun a term for “gambling” is used. The same Inupiatun term is also used in Esther 3:7, “though there winning and losing is not in view, but rather choosing by chance” (source: Robert Bascom)
The stand-alone term that is translated “lots” in English is translated as “two pieces of potsherd” in Highland Totonac. (Source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.)
if my words abide in you
The Greek in John 15:7 that is translated as “if my words abide in you” or similar in English is translated in Yatzachi Zapotec as “if you think about my words all the time,” in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac as “if you do not forget my word,” in Huehuetla Tepehua as “if you believe my words in your heart,” and in Ojitlán Chinantec as “if you obey my words.” (Source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
belong to Jesus Christ
The Greek in Romans 1:6 that is translated as “belong to Jesus Christ” in English is translated as “come into fellowship with Jesus Christ” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui, “be his children” in Yatzachi Zapotec, and “be servants of Jesus Christ” in Huehuetla Tepehua. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
implicit exclusiveness (Rom. 1:6)
The translation in Yatzachi Zapotec had to make the inclusion of the author and others in this verse explicit by translating it as “Jesus Christ chose you to be His children, along with us (excl.) and the others who believe in Jesus Christ,” since otherwise only those to whom the letter was addressed to would have been included. (Source: Inez Butler in Notes on Translation 16, 1965, p. 4-5)
fellowship
The Greek that is translated in English as “fellowship” or “communion” is translated in Huba as daɓǝkǝr: “joining heads.” (Source: David Frank in this blog post )
Other translations include:
- Lalana Chinantec: “they were very happy since they were with their brothers”
- Chichimeca-Jonaz “always well they talk together”
- Chuj: “were at peace with each other”
- San Mateo del Mar Huave: “they accompanied the other believers”
- Ayutla Mixtec: “they were united together”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “their hearts were happy because they all thought alike” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
- Uma: “harmony” (source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “become one” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “have an intimate relationship” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “companionship” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “be friends” (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “head-hearts are one”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “be of the same mind” (source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 1964, p. 1ff.)
nothing good dwells within me
The Greek in Romans 7:18 that is translated “nothing good dwells within me” or similar in English is translated as “my wanting-to-sin-life is not the least bit good” in North Alaskan Inupiatun and as “there is no good thing inside my head-heart” in Yatzachi Zapotec. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)