The Hebrew that is translated as “let us make,” “become like one of us,” and “let us go down” or similar in English in Genesis 1:26, Genesis 3:22, and Genesis 11:7 had to be examined closely in Bura-Pabir.
Andy Warren-Rothlin explains: “God appears to refer to himself in the plural, and it seems important to retain this, even though we don’t know whether it is a reference to the Trinity (the Bura translation team’s view) or a hint at a polytheistic background or the ‘council of God’ (e.g. Ps 82:1). Bura has three words for ‘we’ — an exclusive one (referring to speaker and others, excluding the addressee), an inclusive ‘dual’ one (referring to the speaker and one addressee), and an inclusive ‘plural’ one (referring to the speaker and more than one addressee). We agreed to use the latter, which allows for a Trinity, pantheon or divine council; the only interpretation it excludes is one which reads this as referring to just the Father and the Son (which some may think is the case).”
See also clusivity and Three Men visit Abraham / Trinity (icon).
The Hebrew that is translated as “(he is) our body” in English is translated in Bura-Pabir with the existing idiom as “(he is) our blood.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
In Elhomwe it is translated with the idiomatic mbalaaka, literally “of my knee.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
See also your bone and flesh.
The Hebrew that is translated as “the anger of the Lord was kindled against them” or similar in English is translated in Bura-Pabir as MTHLAKU ku ɓzi ka duna ata kəra ɗa or “the Lord did take heart on their head,” a Bura idiom that describes something similar to the Hebrew idiom used here. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
The Hebrew that is translated as “Woe to us!” or similar in English is translated in Igede with the existing idiom Ahị ri enyi gu obyi lẹ oo! or “We are wet (lit “water touch”) gunpowder!” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
See also woe is me.
The Hebrew that is translated as “gluttonous eaters of meat” or similar in English is translated in Kenga with the existing one-word concept of sukuɗge or “those who eat a lot of meat.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
The Hebrew that is translated as “flying serpent” in English is translated in Kamba as nzoka ya kĩko, referring to local cobras which can jump.
In Konso it is translated as “very poisonous snake,” which already suggests the “fiery.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin and Sam Wanyoike)
The Hebrew that is translated as “crocus” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as fulawa ta ba da amfani or “useful flower,” “since Hausa culture traditionally sees no value in the purely visual aspect of flowers.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
See also saffron crocus.
The Aramaic that is translated as “a stone was cut out” or similar in English is translated in Idakho-Isukha-Tiriki as lichina likali liarekuukha liene or “a big stone rolled by-itself.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
