Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 15:1:
Mairasi: “One day the people who collect money pertaining to head payment [tax collectors] and people who are called ‘bad’ were watching Him, they themselves came [and] were listening to Yesus.” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Noongar: “One day many tax collectors and other people who were rejected, they came to hear Jesus speaking.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “One day, many tax collectors and other people who were said by the people to have evil behavior arrived to hear the words of Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “One day many people who collect payment for the government and other people who do not follow the religious law came close to Isa for they wanted to hear his teaching/preaching.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And at that time there were many sinful people, like tax collectors and law-breakers, and they went to Jesus because they wanted to listen to his teaching.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Many tax collectors and others whom the Jews called sinners were going to listen to what Jesus was-teaching.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “There were now many going to Jesus who were official receivers of payment to the government and others who were regarded by their fellow-countrymen Judio as sinful. They wanted to listen to his teaching.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:13:
Yatzachi Zapotec: “They are his children, not because they were born physically, and not because a man lusted after a woman, and not because a man wanted to have children. God made them his children.”
Huichol: “Their origin is not the ordinary human birth, nor is it a matter of attraction between their parents in the usual human way, nor is it a matter of a man wanting to form a posterity. . . . ” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Uma: “They did not become children of God because of their parents, also not from the power of man, or from marriage / mating. God himself made them his children.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “They are made children of God not like men come-into-being or from the will/wish of men/mankind or from the desire of mankind. But they are made children of God from the will of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The way by which they became children of God was not the way of bearing children here on the earth, because they were not at that time born by means of the procreation of an earthly father, but rather their father is God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Their becoming children of God, it was not in-a-human-manner (connotes sinful, limited humanity), because it didn’t originate-from the sleeping-together of a married-couple and their purpose to have children, but rather it originated-from God’s power.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “It’s not that they got to be children of God because they were given birth to by God like human giving-birth or because of the nature/ways or will of a married-couple, but on the contrary they became-children/were-adopted through the will of God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “To become children of God doesn’t mean that they live anew like the children of people are born, or that some person wanted it thus. Only it is that God caused them to be his children.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “They became children of God not by-means-of bodily birth nor the will of person/people, but by-means-of the will of God. ” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Mairasi: “specifically those people were not born from blood, not from flesh, and Furthermore not from bodies, or not from a male person’s desire, but those who were born from Above-One.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Bariai: “They didn’t become God’s children by their mothers’ and fathers’ blood, and not [by] the desire of our (incl.) bodies, and not [by] any person’s desire either. But God alone made them to become his children.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “Those people didn’t become children of God in the way a person wants a child or in the way a child is born, but it is God alone who makes those people to be his children.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Thessalonians 5:18:
Uma: “and say thank you to God no matter what happens, for that is the desire of God for us (incl.) who are connected with Kristus Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Whatever comes to you (happens) you should thank God because that is what God wants you to do, because you are already one with Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Since you have become one with Jesus Christ, what God wants you to do is: always rejoice; always pray; always give thanks to God no matter what happens to you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Whatever also happens to you, give-thanks to God, because these are what he wants you who are joined-to Cristo Jesus to follow.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “And no matter what your situation, always give thanks also. Because as for these things, they really are the will of God for your lives in your being united/tied-together with Cristo Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Always thank God, whatever you are going through. Because concerning God, he wants that this be done by all who follow Christ.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Mairasi: “Regarding everything you guys must say to Great Above One “That’s good”, because Great Above One desires that, because you guys are already living in the palm of Kristus Yesus’ hand.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
“beg” or “ask,” (full expression: “ask with one’s heart coming out,” which leaves out selfish praying, for asking with the heart out leaves no place for self to hide) (Tzotzil)
“raise up one’s words to God” (implying an element of worship, as well as communication) (Miskito, Lacandon) (source of this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
“speak to God” (Shilluk) (source: Nida 1964, p. 237)
“talk together with Great Above One (=God)” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter, 2004)
“beg” (waan) (Ik). Terrill Schrock (in Wycliffe Bible Translators 2016, p. 93) explains (click or tap here to read more):
What do begging and praying have to do with each other? Do you beg when you pray? Do I?
“The Ik word for ‘visitor’ is waanam, which means ‘begging person.’ Do you beg when you go visiting? The Ik do. Maybe you don’t beg, but maybe when you visit someone, you are looking for something. Maybe it’s just a listening ear.
When the Ik hear that [my wife] Amber and I are planning trip to this or that place for a certain amount of time, the letters and lists start coming. As the days dwindle before our departure, the little stack of guests grows. ‘Please, sir, remember me for the allowing: shoes, jacket (rainproof), watch, box, trousers, pens, and money for the children. Thank you, sir, for your assistance.’
“A few people come by just to greet us or spend bit of time with us. Another precious few will occasionally confide in us about their problems without asking for anything more than a listening ear. I love that.
“The other day I was in our spare bedroom praying my list of requests to God — a nice list covering most areas of my life, certainly all the points of anxiety. Then it hit me: Does God want my list, or does he want my relationship?
“I decided to try something. Instead of reading off my list of requests to God, I just talk to him about my issues without any expectation of how he should respond. I make it more about our relationship than my list, because if our personhood is like God’s personhood, then maybe God prefers our confidence and time to our lists, letters, and enumerations.”
In Luang it is translated with different shades of meaning (click or tap here to read more):
For Acts 1:14, 20:36, 21:5: kola ttieru-yawur nehla — “hold the waist and hug the neck.” (“This is the more general term for prayer and often refers to worship in prayer as opposed to petition. The Luang people spend the majority of their prayers worshiping rather than petitioning, which explains why this term often is used generically for prayer.”)
For Acts 28:9: sumbiani — “pray.” (“This term is also used generically for ‘prayer’. When praying is referred to several times in close proximity, it serves as a variation for kola ttieru-yawur nehla, in keeping with Luang discourse style. It is also used when a prayer is made up of many requests.”)
For Acts 8:15, 12:5: polu-waka — “call-ask.” (“This is a term for petition that is used especially when the need is very intense.”)
Source: Kathy Taber in Notes on Translation 1/1999, p. 9-16.
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 18:14:
Mairasi: “Like that for any of these little children’s self to dry up [to perish] is not My Father Who is in Surga [Heaven]’s throat [will]’ said He.” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Uma: “So also your Father in heaven, he does not like it if there is one from these little children who is far from Him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “A person does not want that one of his animals gets lost. Na, like that is also your Father in heaven, he does not want that even one of these small children happens-to-go-far from God.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “It is just the same also with our Father in heaven, because he doesn’t want that there is even one only of these children who are not freed from punishment.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “So also with your Father in heaven who does not want even one of the lowest of people to be separated from him.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Like that indeed, your Father there in heaven doesn’t want even one to go astray of these ones who cause themselves to be like a small child who believes in me.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Thus it is like your Father who is in heaven, he does not want that even one of these children will be lost.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 19:32:
Noongar: “They went to the village and saw everything which Jesus had said.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “Those two disciples really did go, and they found [it] definitely like what Yesus had said to them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Then the ones he told to, went to that village and they saw all as Isa had told them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then those whom he sent, when they arrived there, it was exactly as Jesus said. They saw the donkey there.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “They went then and all that Jesus had told them came true.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Those two who were sent set out. They found that asno which was referred to just as Jesus had said.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Bariai: “Okay, he sent the two of them to go and then they saw everything like he spoke to the two of them about.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “The disciples went and found the donkey as Jesus had told (them).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Mairasi: “Yesus’ two disciples already departed [and] went and they saw according to whatever He Himself had said.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Hiligaynon: “Therefore the two of them left and what Jesus told them was really/[intensifier] fulfilled.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:2:
Uma: “Suddenly they heard something making noise from the sky, like the blowing of a big wind. That noise was audible all over in their meeting house.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Suddenly there was a sound from the sky like the sound of a strong wind. And that sound entered the house where they were sitting.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And taking them by surprise was a very loud noise which they heard coming from heaven that was like the roaring of a very strong wind. This noise reverberated there inside the house where they were gathered.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When that was so, they suddenly-heard a loud-noise from heaven like a rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where-they -were-gathered.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Suddenly/unexpectedly there was a sound they heard coming from heaven/sky, like the sound of a strong wind, and the house where they were gathered was enveloped in that sound.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Isthmus Mixe : “Then the air suddenly made a loud noise in the house where they were sitting. It started making the noise from the sky.”
Chuj: “Just then, something sounded from heaven, like a wind very angrily it sounds. Very angrily (loudly) it sounded entering into the house where they were sitting.” (Source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Hiligaynon: “While they are-gathering together, suddenly there was a roar which came from heaven the-same as a strong wind, and now only roaring-noise was what they heard inside the house where they are-gathering.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Mairasi: “Right while they were sitting there they heard a roar like that of a strong wind coming down from the sky. The house in which they sat pressed down on them with the roar.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Bariai: “Suddenly, they heard something like a very great wind roaring from heaven and coming, and then its sound filled the house in which they were sitting.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “Before long, some noise came from above like a whistling whirlwind and that noise covered all the house.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
The Greek, Latin, Ge’ez, and Hebrew that is translated as “shepherd” in English is translated in Kouya as Bhlabhlɛɛ ‘yliyɔzʋnyɔ — ” tender of sheep.”
Philip Saunders (2004, p. 231) explains:
“Then one day they tackled the thorny problem of ‘shepherd’. It was problematic because Kouyas don’t have herdsmen who stay with the sheep all the time. Sheep wander freely round the village and its outskirts, and often a young lad will be detailed to drive sheep to another feeding spot. So the usual Kouya expression meant a ‘driver of sheep’, which would miss the idea of a ‘nurturing’ shepherd. ‘A sheep nurturer’ was possible to say, but it was unnatural in most contexts. The group came up with Bhlabhlɛɛ ‘yliyɔzʋnyɔ which meant ‘a tender of sheep’, that is one who keeps an eye on the sheep to make sure they are all right. All, including the translators, agreed that this was a most satisfactory solution.”
Other translations include:
Chuj: “carer” (there was no single word for “shepherd”) (source: Ronald Ross)
Muna: “sheep guard” (dhagano dhumba) (there was no immediate lexical equivalent) (source: René van den Berg),
Mairasi: “people who took care of domesticated animals” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
