The Greek (originally quotes from the Hebrew in Isaiah) that is translated as “(make ready the way of the Lord,) make His paths straight” or something similar in English is translated in Sa’a as “You, tidy up well the paths that are dirty.” Carl Gross reports: “The Sa’a people have a practice which beautifully captures the idea expressed in the Isaianic quote. One line of this was rendered ‘You, tidy up well the paths that are dirty.’ This may conjure up the idea of an anti-litter campaign, but assurances were given that, before a feast when other villages would come to visit, or when an important person was about to come, the whole village would go out and tidy up the road, removing stones, branches, and other obstacles, as well as litter. It is a road maintenance exercise, as well as a way of welcoming honored visitors.” (Source: Carl Gross)
In Chol it says “Make straight the way of the Lord: Go, clean up the path of our Lord” (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125), in Teutila Cuicatec “prepare your hearts; straighten out your thoughts, so that you will be ready to receive our Lord,” in Michoacán Nahuatl “prepare your hearts for our Lord as you would prepare a road for a person you would honor” and in Highland Oaxaca Chontal “when a great man arrives you sweep the road; you make it nice. Well, our master will arrive. For this reason make your minds good” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.).
The Greek that is translated in English as “have mercy on me” is translated in Roviana as “(Son of David,) love me, help me!” (source: Carl Gross) and in Mairasi as “(Daud’s Child,) desire my face (=love me)” (source: Enggavoter 2004).
See also mercy.
The Greek in 1 John 3:20 that is translated as “whenever our thoughts condemn us” or similar in English is translated in Owa as “point at our eye.”
The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Ge’ez, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “he, the completely glorified God”
- San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
- Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
- Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
- Palantla Chinantec: “the Big God Himself”
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
- Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
- Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
- Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
- Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)
- Elhomwe: Mulluku Muullupalli or “God the Great” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
- Chichewa: Wammwambamwamba: A name of God. While this word is difficult to translate into English, its sense implies that God is highly above everything in his power and greatness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
The Greek in 1 Timothy 6:12 that is translated in English as “fight the good fight of the faith” is translated in Warlpiri as “following Jesus without fatigue.”
See also fight the good fight.
The Greek that is translated as “the ends of the earth (or: world)” is translated in Bilua as “the bottom of the sky” (= horizon) (source: Carl Gross), in Western Highland Purepecha as “beyond the horizon” (source: Nida 1947, p. 158), and in Chicahuaxtla Triqui as “to the far horizons” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).
See also to the ends of the earth.
The Hebrew in Psalm 18:8 that is translated as “(glowing) coals” in English is translated in Owa as “stones of parrot offspring” (due to the fact that parrots are red!).
The Greek in 2 Peter 3:9 that is translated in English as something like “the Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness” is translated in Eastern Arrernte as “the Lord does not forget his promise. It’s only people who think (supposedly) that He forgets them.”
