The Greek in Romans 8:26 that is translated as “intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words” is translated as “is the one who asks in our place when we just sigh, we do not find the words to say” in Highland Totonac, as “when we cannot speak, we groan in our hearts, then the Holy Spirit himself pleads to God for us” in Hopi, as “instead, the very good Spirit of God himself for us asking speaks with God. And he only speaks with groanings, he does not speak so we can understand” in Central Tarahumara, and as “the Holy Spirit himself groans in our hearts in a way which we cannot tell how he does, because he very much prays to God for us” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
“Too deep for words” is translated in Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version and the Protestant Union Version with a Chinese idiom: wúkě yányù (無可言喻 / 无可言喻), lit. “cannot (expressed in) metaphors.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
In Gbaya, the notion of “weighed down with sleep” in Luke 9:32 is emphasized with gbéyéŋ, an ideophone used to describe something falling to the ground. Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)
In the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version it is translated with a historical Chinese idiom: hūnhūn yùshuì (昏昏欲睡), lit. “drowsy and wanting to sleep.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “bewildered” or similar in English is translated in the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version with a historical Chinese idiom: cānghuáng shīcuò (倉皇失措 / 仓皇失措) or “panicked and at a loss.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “conquer” or similar in English is translated in the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version with a historical Chinese idiom: bǎizhàn bǎishèng (百戰百勝 / 百战百胜) or “unbeatable,” lit. “100 battles, 100 victories.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
The Greek in Luke 10:13 that is translated as “they would have repented” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with hätten sich selbst diese hartgesottenen Sünder bekehrt or “even these hard-core sinners would have repented.”
In the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version it is translated with a historical Chinese idiom: yìlùn fēnfēn (改過自新 / 改过自新), lit. “make amends and start afresh.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
The Greek in 2 Timothy 3:2 that is translated as “ungrateful” in English is translated in the Protestant Mandarin Chinese Union Version with a historical Chinese idiom: wàng ēn fù yì (忘恩負義 / 忘恩负义) or “ingratitude (lit. “ungrateful and unfaithful”).” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
Likewise, in Wisdom 14:26, “forgetfulness of favors” is translated in the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version with the same idiom.
The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in these verses as “tossing,” “waver,” or “rolling about” in English is translated in the Protestant Mandarin Chinese Union Version with a historical Chinese idiom: fān lái fù qù (翻來覆去 / 翻来覆去) or “tossing and turning (lit. “turn over and back”).” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
See also rolled about.
The Greek in Mark 3:5 that is translated as “looked around at them with anger” in English is translated in the Protestant Mandarin Chinese Union Version with a historical Chinese idiom: nùmù huánshì (怒目環視 / 怒目环视) or “glaring around (lit. “angry eyes look around) .” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
