cowardly

The Greek in Revelation 21:8 that is translated as “cowardly” in English versions is idiomatically translated in Thai as “white-eyed people.”

judge

The Greek in Revelation 6:10 that is translated as “judge” in English is rendered idiomatically in Yapese as “untie the words of” and in Chichewa as “sing a (court) case against.”

destroy

The Greek in Revelation 11:18 that is translated as “destroy” in English is rendered in Yapese as “untie the words of” and in Chichewa as “wiping from the ground.”

wisdom

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, Latin, and Greek that is translated as “wisdom” in English is rendered in various ways:

  • Amganad Ifugao / Tabasco Chontal: “(big) mind”
  • Bulu / Yamba: “heart-thinking”
  • Tae’: “cleverness of heart” (source for this and all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Palauan: “bright spirit (innermost)” (source: Bratcher / Hatton)
  • Ixcatlán Mazatec: “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom)
  • Noongar: dwangka-boola, lit. “ear much” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018 — see also remember)
  • Kwere “to know how to live well” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Dobel: “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes)
  • Gbaya: iŋa-mgbara-mɔ or “knowing-about-things” (note that in comparison to that, “knowledge” is translated as iŋa-mɔ or “knowing things”) (source: Philip Noss in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 114ff. )
  • Chichewa: nzeru, meaning both “knowledge” and “wisdom” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Uma: “clearness” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Kako: “heart thinking” (source: Reyburn 2002, p. 190)

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a hand gesture referring to God to indicate a human quality to communicate that wisdom does not originate from man but is linked to and connected with the fear of God (source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group):


“Wisdom” in Hungarian Sign Language (source )

See also wisdom (Proverbs) and knowledge.

Translation commentary on Revelation 2:15

So you also: this means that the situation in the church in Pergamum was similar to the sins committed by the ancient Hebrews, and it will be appropriate in some languages to say “So, like those Israelites, you also….” It seems that the Nicolaitans were trying to lead Christians to worship idols, that is, to pay homage to the Roman emperor as a god, and to indulge in immoral sexual conduct. See comments on the Nicolaitans at Rev. 2.6.

The verb hold is the same as the one used in verse 13, “you hold fast my name,” and also in verse 14, “hold the teachings,” which means “to follow the teachings.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .