Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 16:3:
Kupsabiny: “A person who leaves it to God to rule/guide all his plans becomes strong.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Hand over to the Lord whatever work you do, and all your work will succeed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Commit to the LORD all you (sing.) are-planning to do, and you (sing.) will-be-successful.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “If you (sing.) entrust your (sing.) plans to God, they will be fulfilled.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “Request/Rely on Yahweh to direct what you plan to do; if you do that, you will succeed in what you plan.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
The musical instrument that is most often translated as “harp” or “large lyre” in English is translated in the following ways:
Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016: “two stringed instrument” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “instruments which have strings to praise you,” “beautiful to-be-listened-to instruments,” or kudyapi (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Description: The exact identification of the nevel is very problematic. Some take it to be a kind of harp. The harp consisted of a neck projecting out of a soundbox. Strings were stretched from the extremity of the neck down its length and into the sound box. The body of the harp was made of wood and its strings of animal intestines (perhaps from sheep). The number of strings varied.
Others place the nevel in the category of lyres, where the strings are stretched over top of and parallel to the soundbox. While this is the interpretation preferred here, we will discuss the harp-type of instrument, since the identification is problematic and many translations have preferred “harp” for nevel.
Usage: The strings were plucked either with the fingers or with a thin piece of ivory or metal to give a resonating sound, probably in a lower register than that made by the kinor.
Translation: In several Psalms (33.2; 92.3; 144.9), the nevel is linked to the Hebrew word ‘asor, which could indicate it was “ten-stringed.”
Some degree of cultural adaptation must be made in the translation of these stringed instruments since cultures differ from each other in the shape, the number of strings, and the function of their instruments. Translators will have to select an equivalent instrument in the receptor language. In most passages the most accurate translation for nevel will be “guitar” or some equivalent medium-sized stringed instrument on which the strings are stretched over a sound box and are plucked.
In those passages where nevel and kinor appear together it is recommended that the translator use an instrument that can vary in size and then render the two words as “large and small X,” for example, “large and small guitars.” Alternately, it may be possible to select two stringed instruments that are similar in construction but different in size, for example, “guitar and lute.” It is also possible to say “large and small stringed instruments” or to combine the two, saying “stringed instruments.”
Psalms 33:2: “Praise the LORD with the lyre” (New Revised Standard Version, updated edition) contains two major translation problems. The first problem is that in many languages, the phrase “with the lyre” must be changed into a verb phrase or clause; for example, the whole line may be rendered “Praise the LORD by playing music on the lyre” or “Make music with the lyre, and praise the LORD.” The second problem, which applies also to the second line of this verse, is the terms to be used for the musical instruments here. In languages in which there are several stringed instruments, translators may use one of the smaller ones for kinor (“lyre”) and a larger one for nevel (“harp” in New Revised Standard Version, updated edition). In languages where there is little or no choice, they should use the known local stringed instrument for the kinor, and a more generic expression for the nevel. Where there are no known stringed instruments, it will often be necessary to say “small instruments with strings” for kinor and “large instruments with strings” for nevel.
Harp (source: Knowles, revised by Bass (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1994)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:1:
Huehuetla Tepehua: “The Word was living when there was still nothing at all. And that Word lived in the same place God did. And that Word was God himself.”
Yatzachi Zapotec: “When the world began, the person who is the Word was already present. He was with God and the person who is the Word was God.”
Chol: “In the beginning of the world there already was the Word. This Word already was with God. This Word was (and still is) God.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Long ago before anything was created, the one who is titled the Word of God already was. This Word of God, he already was with God and he is God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Before the world and heavens/sky was laid-down/spread-out (i.e. existed), there was already Jesus who is called Word/Speech of God. This one referred to as Word, he was already there in the presence of God. Not just in the presence of God but on the contrary, this Word who is Jesus, he indeed is the one who is this God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “The Son of God makes it known how God is. When the world was made, already he was living. He was in fellowship with God. He also is God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “When before still in the past, there already was the one being — called the Word. The Word is/was now with God, and the Word is/was God himself.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Mairasi: “In the very beginning The Message lived. This Message lived together with Great Above One. And This Message Himself was actually Great Above One.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Bariai: “Prior to the coming forth of everything, Talk was existing. This Talk was existing together with God, and this Talk was God.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “In the beginning, there was Word. That Word was together with God. That word was God.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Anindilyakwa: “Right at the beginning, long, long ago, Jesus Christ was there, the one who revealed God who was hidden from us. Before God made the heavens and the earth, right at that time the same one was already there with God. And those two, the same one and God, they were the same/shared the same characteristics.” (Source: Julie Waddy in The Bible Translator 2004, p. 452ff.)
Classical Quechua: “In the dawn which had no beginning the Son of God was, and the Son of God was God, the Son of God was with God.” (for more information, click or tap here)
This translation by Juan Roxo Mexía y Ocón from 1648 is explained by him in the following way: “When the inherent meaning of the Quechua word changes ‘the customary catholic meaning of the Gospel,’ it must be avoided. Instead a phrase should be used which conforms to the meaning of the Gospel. For example, [in] John 1:1 In principio should not be rendered by the word in the language which corresponds to principio, that is, callarij. Its proper meaning is ‘beginning of time,’ and the Evangelist is speaking of ‘the beginningless beginning of eternity.’ Nor should the word verbum be rendered by simi, which is the corresponding term. Its proper meaning is ‘a spoken word,’ whereas the Evangelist speaks of the ‘Eternal Word of the Father,’ that is, his only begotten Son.” (Source William Mitchell in The Bible Translator 1996, p. 301ff. ).
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 19:36:
Noongar: “As Jesus was sitting on the donkey, people put their clothes on the road in front of him.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “When Yesus passed by riding that donkey, the people spread out their shirts/clothes in the middle of the road, as a sign of their honor.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “While they were on their way, the people spread their clothes on the road he was passing.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then, because people wanted to show their great respect for Jesus, they spread out on his way their cloaks.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When he was then riding, there were others who spread [diff. word] their outer clothes on the road to thereby-praise him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Jesus continued on to Jerusalem riding now. What the people did was, they were spreading out their cloaks on the trail, as a sign of their respecting/honoring and welcoming Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Bariai: “He walked and went, and the crowd arranged their long clothing on the road.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “As Jesus was moving/riding, some people removed their outer clothes and spread them on the road as they went along.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Mairasi: “He Himself rode on the donkey then passed by then the people spread out their garments on the path to magnify His Name.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Hiligaynon: “As he is-riding going to Jerusalem, the people spread-out their cloaks/clothes on the road as honor to him.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 1:1:
Uma: “This is a list/order of those whom Yesus Kristus was descended from. Yesus was the descendant of King Daud, the descendant of Abraham.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “These are the names of the ancestors of Isa Almasi. This Isa Almasi was a descendant of Da’ud and Da’ud was a descendant of Ibrahim.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “This is the telling of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is a descendant of long ago King David, David was a descendant of Abraham.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “This is the list of the ancestors of Jesu Cristo the descendant of David and descendant also of Abraham.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “These are the ancestors of Jesu-Cristo who came from the descendants of David, whose forefather was none other than Abraham.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Here is the list of the ancestors of Jesus Christ, the one who is the descendant of David. And this David is the descendant of Abraham.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Bariai: “This book (lit. leaf) talks of Iesus Kristus’ lineage/history from his ancestors. Iesus was a family member [descended] from Devit, and Devit was a family member [descended] from Abraam.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Mairasi: “These are the ancestors of Yesus Kristus, Who is Daud’s child, [and] Abraham’s child.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Hiligaynon: “These are the ancestors of Jesus-Christ who was the descendant of David. This David was the descendant of Abraham.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “This is the record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, the descendant of King David and of Abraham, from whom all we Jews have descended.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:8:
Uma: “Yohanes, it was not he who was that light. The reason he came was to spread that light to all people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Yahiya was not this light. But his mission/purpose for coming here was to tell about the light.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for this John, he is not the one who is that light, but rather he is the one who explains who the light is.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Juan was not the light itself, but rather the one who came to confirm/verify concerning the light.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “It isn’t that he was the one who was the light. He was caused-to-be-a-person because he would be testifying about this light.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “John is not that one who opens the hearts of the people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Ojitlán Chinantec: “John was not the one who illuminates people. He came to point out that one.”
Yatzachi Zapotec: “It wasn’t John who brought light, but rather he came speaking about the person who brings light for mankind.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Hiligaynon: “Juan was not the light, but-rather he came/arrived to tell who is the light.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Mairasi: “He himself was not that Light. But for the purpose of testifying about that Light he came.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Bariai: “He wasn’t that light, but he came to expound talk about that light.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “John came and told the people concerning/about that light, but that light was not him.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:2:
Uma: “Suddenly they heard something making noise from the sky, like the blowing of a big wind. That noise was audible all over in their meeting house.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Suddenly there was a sound from the sky like the sound of a strong wind. And that sound entered the house where they were sitting.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And taking them by surprise was a very loud noise which they heard coming from heaven that was like the roaring of a very strong wind. This noise reverberated there inside the house where they were gathered.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When that was so, they suddenly-heard a loud-noise from heaven like a rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where-they -were-gathered.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Suddenly/unexpectedly there was a sound they heard coming from heaven/sky, like the sound of a strong wind, and the house where they were gathered was enveloped in that sound.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Isthmus Mixe : “Then the air suddenly made a loud noise in the house where they were sitting. It started making the noise from the sky.”
Chuj: “Just then, something sounded from heaven, like a wind very angrily it sounds. Very angrily (loudly) it sounded entering into the house where they were sitting.” (Source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Hiligaynon: “While they are-gathering together, suddenly there was a roar which came from heaven the-same as a strong wind, and now only roaring-noise was what they heard inside the house where they are-gathering.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Mairasi: “Right while they were sitting there they heard a roar like that of a strong wind coming down from the sky. The house in which they sat pressed down on them with the roar.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Bariai: “Suddenly, they heard something like a very great wind roaring from heaven and coming, and then its sound filled the house in which they were sitting.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “Before long, some noise came from above like a whistling whirlwind and that noise covered all the house.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 19:37:
Noongar: “When Jesus was approaching Jerusalem on the road going down the Mount of Olives, a crowd of Jesus’ disciples, they started celebrating and praising God because of everything they had seen Jesus doing.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “Close to the town of Yerusalem, at the bottom/descent of Olive mountin, all his many followers began to praise God. They made-a-loud-noise carried by their joy because of all the surprising things they had seen.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “When Isa came close to Awrusalam, there at the slope of the hill Jaitun, all the crowd of his disciples gave thanks to God and praised him loudly because of the powerful deeds they had seen Isa doing.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as they were going down the Mount of Olives because they were already near to the town of Jerusalem, all of those disciples of his who were with him, they were very joyful and they praised God loudly because of all they had seen of the miracles which Jesus did.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When they arrived across-from Jerusalem where-the road -descended from the mountain Olivo, great was the happiness of his many disciples, and they began to raise (lit. make-strong) their voices in praising God because of the many amazing things they had seen.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When Jesus was now near Jerusalem going down the Hill of Olibo, that crowd of people were really noisy-and-excited now. They were praising God because of all the amazing things which they had observed.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Bariai: “It came about that he went close to the road which climbs down Oliv hill, and then very many of his disciples were happy. They thought about the many miracles which they saw, and so they shouted to lift up God’s name.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “When they got to a descending point on Mountain of Olives, the multitude began praising God with joy. They all kept singing because of the wonders that Jesus had done.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Mairasi: “Right then when Yesus was about to arrive over there at Yerusalem, over there on the descending path from Zaitun [Olive] hill then many people who followed Him already hooted glorifying Great Above One exalting His name and saying ‘That’s good! [Thanks!]’ to Him because of those impossible things which with their own eyes they had already seen happen. ” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Hiligaynon: “And when he is coming-down from the Mount of Olives, his followers are-joyful and are-shouting praise to God because of the miracle that they have-seen.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
