Language-specific Insights

Peace be with you

The Greek that is typically translated as “Peace be with you” in English is translated in Ojitlán Chinantec as “Have peaceful happy hearts,” in Huehuetla Tepehua as “Don’t be sad in your hearts,” in Aguaruna as “Be content,” in Shipibo-Conibo as “Think very good,” in Isthmus Mixe as “Don’t worry,” and in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac as “May it go well with you.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)

In Uma it is “Goodness come to you,” in Yakan it is “May there be peace in your liver,” in Tagbanwa “Protection of your inner-being will now be yours” (source: Uma, Yakan, and Tagbanwa Back Translation respectively), and in Mairasi “Good Peace be to you guys!” (source: Enggavoter 2004).

See also be cheered.

beside himself, out of his mind

The Greek in Mark 3:21 that is translated as “beside himself” or “lost his mind” or other variations in English is (back-) translated by the following languages like this:

  • Tzeltal: “his head had been touched” (“an expression to identify what might be called the half-way stage to insanity”)
  • Amganad Ifugao: “he acts as though he were crazy”
  • Shilluk: “he is acting like an imbecile”
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “his thoughts have gone out of him”
  • Pamona: “he is outside his senses”
  • Indonesian: “he is not by his reason” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida 1961)
  • Mairasi: “his vision/thinking dried up” (source: Enggavoter 2004)

bear child / give birth

The Hebrew, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “bear (a child)” or “give birth to” is translated in Mairasi as “go to the forest,” reflecting the traditional place of childbirth for Mairasi women. (Source: Enggavoter 2004)

In Spanish it is translated as dar a luz, literally “to give to light.” Likewise, in Portuguese (dar à luz) and Italian (dare alla luce). (Source: Mark Terwilliger)

See also in childbirth / travail and birth.

receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

The Greek in Acts 2:38 that is translated “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” or similar in English is translated as

  • “receive the gift of God which is the Holy Spirit” in Eastern Highland Otomi
  • “God will give his Spirit to you” in Chuj
  • “God will cause his Holy Spirit to possess you” in Teutila Cuicatec
  • “the Holy Spirit will come into your souls with his power” in Desano
  • “you will receive the Holy Spirit, Father God will give you that” in San Mateo del Mar Huave
  • “God will send the Holy Spirit to live with you” Mezquital Otomi (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • “you guys will receive Great Above Ones Spirit as a gift from right where Great Above One lives” in Mairasi (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • “you will receive the Straight Spirit as a gift to you” in Bariai (source: Bariai Back Translation)

See also Receive the Holy Spirit.

love (Jesus for young / rich man)

The Greek in Mark 10:21that is translated as “Jesus loved him” in most English translations is translated as “his heart burned for” in Guerrero Amuzgo, “he hurt in his heart” (Tzeltal), “his heart went away with” (Mitla Zapotec), “his abdomen died for him” (Western Kanjobal), “his thoughts were toward him” (Cashibo-Cacataibo), “put him in his heart” (Toro So Dogon) (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida), “desired his face” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004).

See also love (by God).

son of encouragement

The Greek in Acts 4:36 that is translated as “son of encouragement” in English is translated as

  • “one who makes people receive a helpful word” in Ojitlán Chinantec
  • “the person who makes our hearts be at peace” in Lalana Chinantec
  • “he will encourage us” in Isthmus Mixe
  • “one who enlarges (encourages) hearts” in Chichimeca-Jonaz
  • “one who comforts” in San Mateo del Mar Huave
  • “one who consoles people” in Tzotzil
  • “gives gladness to those who weep” in Desano (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • “The man who strengthens people’s interiors” in Bariai (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • “Child Who Turns Livers Good” in Mairasi (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • “owner of encouraging heart” in Hausa (source: Hausa Common Language Bible Back Translation)

See also Barnabas and encourage / comfort.

ponder

The Greek in Luke 2:19 that is translated as “ponder” in English is translated as

  • “continually think-about” in Tboli
  • “turn around in the mind” in Batak Toba
  • “puzzle forth, puzzle back” in Sranan Tongo (source for this and above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • “constantly setting down her visions” in Mairasi (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • “carried all those words in her heart and then sat thinking” in Enga (source: Adam Boyd on his blog )
  • “moved them in her heart” (bewegte sie in ihrem Herzen) in the German Luther translation
  • “tied those words in her stomach” in Kupsabiny (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)

In Low German idiomatically as “let it pass through her heart again and again” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).

See also treasured all these things in her heart.

living oracles, living words

The Greek in Acts 7:38 that is translated as “living oracles” or “living words” or similar in English is translated in the following ways:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “word of God that will never finish”
  • Copainalá Zoque: “word that told us how to live”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “good words for us that we might obtain the good life”
  • Ayutla Mixtec: “words of life”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “word of God”
  • Rincón Zapotec: “the law which spoke of life” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “the indestructible words of God” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “words of good living” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Mairasi: “Good Message of Great Above One’s about life” (source: Enggavoter 2004)