divination

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “divination” or similar in English is translated in Elhomwe as edduwelle or “to know about the future” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext) and in Bariai as “magic” (source: Bariai Back Translation).

See also spirit of divination and practice divination.

trough (Exodus 2:16)

The Hebrew in Exodus 2:16 that is translated as “trough” or similar in English is translated in Bariai as “giant clam shell” (source: Bariai Back Translation).

uncircumcised in heart and ears

The phrase in Acts 7:51 that is translated into English as “uncircumcised in heart and ears” is translated into Afar as “You are people who have hearts that refuse God, and ears closed saying we didn’t hear God’s message.” (Source: Loren Bliese)

Other translations for “uncircumcised in heart and ears” include:

  • Rincón Zapotec: “it doesn’t enter your hearts or your ears. You are like those who don’t even believe”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “hard are your hearts and not a little bit open are your ears”
  • Morelos Nahuatl: “you have your heart as unbelievers, you do not want to hear God’s word”
  • Highland Popoluca: “you never wanted to do God’s will, never truly believed”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “you are just the same as those who do not believe God’s word because you do not obey”
  • Huichol: “you have not been marked with God’s sign in your hearts or in your ears” (or: “you are unruly and unsubmissive like an untamed, unbranded bronco”)
  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “you do not have the word-sign in your hearts. Your ears are clogged”
  • Copainalá Zoque: “you just don’t understand”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “your hearts and minds are not open” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Kaqchikel: “with your hearts unprepared” (source: Nida 1964, p. 220)
  • Elhomwe: “like people who do not know God” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa (interconfessional translation) “hard-headed.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 130)
  • Bariai: “You aren’t able to receive knowledge, certainly not. You shut your ears always to Deo’s talk.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Low German 1975 translation by Rudolf Muuß: “Your hearts and ears are no better than those of the heathen”
  • Uma: “No kidding your stubbornness! No kidding your making yourselves deaf to hearing the Word of the Lord God!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Your livers are livers not obeying/following God. And how deaf are your ears. You do not listen-to/heed God’s word/message.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)

See also uncircumcised and stiff-necked.

deep sleep

The Hebrew phrase that is rendered as “deep sleep” in English versions is translated as “sleep like a trance” in Chenalhó Tzotzil (source: Robert Bascom) and as “die in sleep” in Bariai (source: Bariai Back Translation).

the spirit revived (Genesis 45:27)

The Hebrew in Genesis 45:27 that is translated as ” the spirit of their father Jacob revived” or similar in English is translated in Bariai as “his interior popped” (i.e., his anxiety was relieved) (source: Bariai Back Translation).

Hosanna

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The Hebrew that is typically transliterated as “Hosanna” in English is translated in various ways:

  • Aguaruna: “Happily let him come”
  • Asháninka: “Here is this one who will save us, this one who comes”
  • Yanesha’: “Let him be saved”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “Worship God”
  • Chol: “Greetings”
  • Waffa: “The one who saves us”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “Let him be praised!”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “God will help us now” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125)
  • Western Highland Chatino: “Thanks be to God that you have come here” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Bariai: “Chief, we lift up your name!” (source: Bariai Back Translation)

See also Hosanna (Psalm 118:25) and this devotion on YouVersion .

distracted by all the preparations

The Greek in Luke 10:40 that is translated as something like “(Martha) was distracted by all the preparations” is translated by other languages as:

  • “all kinds of work to do had gone to Martha’s heart” (Tzeltal)
  • “Martha was wearing-herself-out how/the-way her feeding them” (Tboli)
  • “because much work fell to Martha, her agitation flew/flared-up” (Marathi)
  • “Martha’s mind was stirred up with excess of service” (Zarma)
  • “she danced to and fro in serving” (Uab Meto)
  • “much work overwhelmed Martha” (Sranan Tongo) (source for all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • “her face kept on getting turned with her work inside the house” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • “she was alone in the kitchen because she was making food for them, and there were many problems that she had with what she was doing” (Western Bukidnon Manobo) (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • “Marta’s eye was here and there with the doing of tasks” (Bariai) (source: Bariai Back Translation)