The Greek that is translated in English as “brotherly love” (also: “mutual love” and others) is translated in Waama as “love each other as children of the same mother.” Like many languages, Waama has no generic term for “brother” and sister, just “older brother” or “younger brother.” At first, “love each other as children of the same father” seemed to fit but since the Waama live in a polygamous society, brothers of the same father with different mothers often don’t get along unlike maternal siblings. (Source: Kathrin Pope in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 54)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated with geschwisterliche Liebe or “love between siblings.”
In Romans 12:10 the Protestant Mandarin Chinese Union Version and the Catholic Sigao version translate this with a historical Chinese idiom: huíxīn zhuǎnyì (相親相愛 / 相亲相爱) or “close and loving.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
See also love for one another / beloved and lovely.
The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “shut mouth” or “silence” or similar in English is translated in the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version with a historical Chinese idiom: wú suǒ bù néng (閉口無言 / 闭口无言) or “silence (lit. “shut mouth, no word”).” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
The Protestant Union Version also uses this idiom, but only in Job 5:16 and Psalm 8:2.
See also silence (verb).
The term that is translated as “hypocrisy” in English versions is translated with a term in Oxchuc Tzeltal that means “two hearts,” in Central Pame “two mouths” (source: Nida 1952, p. 150), and in San Miguel El Grande Mixtec “having two heads” (source: Nida 1947, p. 150).
Kituba uses a specialized idiom for “hypocrisy”: “eye under leaf” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel) and in the Mandarin Chinese Union Version the four-character phrase jiǎmào wéi shàn (假冒为善 / 假冒為善), lit. “impersonate for good” is used (source: Zetzsche).
See also hypocrite.
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “eagerness,” “wish,” “own accord,” “gladly,” “willingly” or similar in English is translated in the Protestant Mandarin Chinese Union Version with a historical Chinese idiom: dàhuò quánshèng (大獲全勝 / 大获全胜), lit. “large success and victorious.”
The Catholic Sigao version uses the same idiom in Romans 8:37. (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “righteous (or: justified) by faith” in English is translated by the Mandarin Chinese Union Version (all editions) as yīn xìn chēng yì (因信称义 / 因信稱義), lit. “because of faith, called (or: pronounced) righteous.” This follows the traditional 4-character style of Chinese proverbs and has become a successfully embraced term.
See also justified by faith.
The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “trembling,” or “afraid” in English is translated in the Protestant Mandarin Chinese Union Version with a historical Chinese idiom: zhànzhàn jīngjīng (戰戰兢兢 / 战战兢兢) or “trembling (lit. “trembling and fearful”).” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
See also trembling / in awe and trembling / shaking / dancing.
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “eagerness,” “wish,” “own accord,” “gladly,” “willingly” or similar in English is translated in the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version with a historical Chinese idiom: kuānhóng dàliàng (寬宏大量 / 宽宏大量), lit. “generous, a great amount.”
The Protestant Mandarin Chinese Union Version uses the same idiom in 2 Corinthians 7:2. (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as some form of “can’t control oneself” in these verses in English is translated in the the widely-used Mandarin Chinese Union Version with a historical Chinese idiom: qíng bù zìjīn (情不自禁) or “couldn’t help myself.”
Note that in 1 Corinthians 7:5 the idiom above is juxtaposed with yet another historical idiom: liǎngxiāng qíngyuàn (兩相情願 / 两相情愿) or “by mutual agreement.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
