The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” in English is translated idiomatically in Khakas with the existing phrase “two wild or domestic pigeons.” (Source: David Clark in The Bible Translator 2015, p. 117ff. )
sporting analogies
In the Kahua translation sporting analogies are avoided because they imply that winning involves putting other people down.
the hand of the Lord
The Greek in Acts 13:11 that is translated as “the hand of the Lord” in English is translated in Kalmyk as “the Lord will punish you” to differentiate the “hand” from the hand of blessing in Acts 13:3. In Western Lawa its is translated as “feel the hand of God,” using a vernacular idiom for punishment. (Source: David Clark in The Bible Translator 2013, p. 54ff. )
See also hand (of God) (Japanese honorifics).
no dealings
The phrase in John 4:9 that is translated in English translations as “for Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans” or similar is translated into Mono is translated as “It is taboo for you people to drink from our buckets.” (Source: Carl Gross)
In Telugu the more unspecific “have no dealings” rendering was used since even members of the same family do not use each other’s dishes. (Source: David Clark)
In Chitonga it is translated with the existing idiom “(Jews and Samaritans) do not step on each other’s toes” and in Chichewa (interconfessional translation) as “(do not) look one another in the eyes.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 130)
lilies
The Greek that is translated as “lilies” in English is translated in Kalmyk as “tulips” (lilies are not known). “These have grown in the area for a very long time (since before the tulip mania of the 1630s in Western Europe) and have spread widely. Nowadays they provide a very colorful addition to the steppe in spring time, and fit the context of what Jesus was saying just as well as lilies.” (Source: David Clark in The Bible Translator 2015, p. 117ff. )
rejoice more (Matthew 18:13)
The phrase in Matthew 18:13 that is translated in English as “rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine” is translated into Fuyug as “thinking of the 99 he was happy, thinking of the lost one he was very happy.”
fasten his belt
The Greek in Luke 12:37 that is translated as “fasten his belt” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with Kellnerschürze umbinden or “tie on the waiter’s apron.”
In Yakut it is translated with the idiom “he will roll up his sleeves.” (Source: David Clark in The Bible Translator 2015, p. 117ff. ))
See also be dressed for action.
little flock
Since the words for “flock” and “girl friend” are homonyms in Khakas, the translators decided to translate the occurrence in Luke 12:32 as “you little lambs” rather than “flock” to avoid misunderstandings.
In Chechen, “little flock” sounds scornful and insulting, so it needed to be restructured as, “though you are few and weak, above you is a shepherd,” “with the implication that the shepherd is the heavenly father already mentioned in the wider context.“ (Source: David Clark in The Bible Translator 2015, p. 117ff. )
See also flock.