divine council

The Hebrew that is translated as “divine council” or similar in English is translated in Kim as ɓase ge ne digi zi or “people from heaven.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife

The Hebrew Genesis 2:24 that is translated as “a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife” or similar in English is translated in Kim in a similar manner but equipped with a footnote. Andy Warren-Rothlin explains: “This is not a prediction of something that will happen in the future (not even the future from the point of view of the writer), but rather a description of the habits at the time and in the culture of the writer. The problem is that this is not the habit of the Kims. It takes a footnote to explain that in the writer’s day, it was the custom of Jews to leave their father’s house to get married, and that they based their culture on this story of creation.”

crescents

The Hebrew that is translated as “crescents” in English is translated in Kim with kaŋ ge pare or “things that decorate” to avoid the suggestion of an Islamic symbol. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also thresh.

steadfast love

The Hebrew that is translated as “steadfast love,” “lovingkindness” (Goldingay 2018: “commitment”) or similar in English is translated in a number of ways:

  • Vidunda: “love of enduring” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Bura-Pabir: “love which cannot be-changed” (hyirkur na a palidzi wa)
  • Hausa Common Language Bible “his love without changing” (kaunarsa marar canjawa) (source for this and above: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Elhomwe: “love that does not finish” (echikondi yoohisintheya) (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Nyamwezi: chelu, combining “love,” “faithfulness,” “loyalty,” and “kindness” (source: James Lundeen)
  • Newari: dayāmāyā (दयामाया), a compound word made from two Sanskrit-derived terms: dayā (दया) or “compassion, mercy, kindness” and māyā (माया) or “love, affection” (source: Newari Back Translation)

In Pijin tinghevi long or “think heavy about” is used. “The Pijin expression ‘think heavy about’ is very much within the domain of committed relationships. The relationship between father and child, husband and wife, God and His people. There is a very strong element of ‘loyalty’ in this expression.” (Source: Bob Carter)

In Latvian the term žēlastība is used both for “steadfast love” and grace.

In a number of languages, the terms for for “steadfast love” and mercy are used interchangeably.

So may God do to me and more also

The Hebrew that is translated as “So may God do to me, and more also” or similar in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as Bari Allah yă ɗauki raina . . . or “May God take my life if . . ..” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

she feared God

The Greek that is translated as “she feared God” in English is translated idiomatically in Sar as “she feared the shadow of God.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

supply cities

The Hebrew that is translated as “supply cities” or similar in English is translated in Bura-Pabir as diyayeri ar pwi susəma or “villages of putting food.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

scepter

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “scepter” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “stick of ruling” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin) and in Cherokee as “walking stick of chief” (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 17).