The phrase that is translated into English as “a colt that has never been ridden” can be translated in Kalmyk much more succinctly than even the original Greek text since Kalmyk as arkhlata (архлата) a specific word for an unbroken colt. (source: David Clark)
In the Arhuaco translation of Luke 19:35 (in the English translation: “after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.”) the co-translator knew how unruly unbroken colts are so they translated “they held the donkey steady so that Jesus could get on it.” (source: Paul Lundquist in The Bible Translator 1992, p. 246 .)
The Hebrew that is translated as “sprinkle it with his finger” is translated in Tibetan with a culturally equivalent. David Clark (in: Clark / Desnitsky 2009 , p. 24) explains: “The verb used in Tibetan for ‘sprinkle’ is very specific, and means ‘to flick with the third finger of the right hand.’ This is the verb used to describe what monks do when they make offerings involving liquids. The translator felt that the ad- vantages of using a word that fits precisely in the context of religious sacrifices outweighed any risk that the nature of Aaron’s ritual action might be misunderstood. The Hebrew text does not specify exactly how Aaron was to perform the sprinkling, so the implication that it was done with the third finger of the right hand was not considered significant enough to cause a problem.”
This quotation in 1 Corinthians 15:33 that originated in Menander’s play Thais and is translated into some English versions as “bad company ruins good morals” is translated into Kilivila with a local proverb with the same meaning: “Don’t stand in the ways of a thief, or you will steal.”
The Greek in Acts 17:28 that is translated into English as something like “in him we live and move and have our being” is expressed in Purari as “In him we stand up and sit down and lie down.”
Many languages have terms for siblings that define whether one is younger or older in relation to another sibling.
In Fuyug, Tae’, Batak Toba, and Mandarin Chinese, Martha was assumed to be the older of the two sisters because she is mentioned first. (Sources: David Clark [Fuyug] and Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Navajo (Dinė) translates accordingly but for a different reason: “since Martha seemed to take the responsibility of the housework, she was probably the older of the two” (source: Wallis 2000, p. 103f.) whereas in Mandarin Chinese he is the younger brother.
In Fuyug, Lazarus is assumed to be the oldest sibling on the grounds that he died first, whereas in several Thai translations he is described as the youngest of the three. (Source: David Clark)
The term in 1 Thessalonians 2:5 that is rendered as “flattery” in English is translated with a Kahua idiom: “We did not bend our heads to please people (i.e., use flattery).” (Source: David Clark)
