The Greek that is translated as “wild honey” in English was difficult to translate in Toba and Iyojwa’ja Chorote.
Bill Mitchell (in Omanson 2001, p. 435) explains why: “Unlike urban, industrialized society, the indigenous way of life is inextricably linked with the land. A deep relationship with nature permeates all of life. This can sometimes be seen in the wealth of vocabulary for certain items. Mark 1:6 and Matthew 3:4 state that John the Baptist ate ‘wild honey.’ The Tobas of northern Argentina have ten different words for ‘wild honey,’ the Chorotes have seven or eight. The biblical text does not specify a type of wild honey, but Toba translators live in the Gran Chaco and harvest wild honey. They want to use the exact word; they do not have a generic term.”
In both cases the translators ended up using the most common term for “wild honey.”
Apali: “God’s one with talk from the head” (“basically God’s messenger since head refers to any leader’s talk”) (source: Martha Wade)
Michoacán Nahuatl: “clean helper of God” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Noongar: Hdjin-djin-kwabba or “spirit good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Wè Northern (Wɛɛ): Kea ‘a “sooa or “the Lord’s soldier” (also: “God’s soldier” or “his soldier”) (source: Drew Maust)
Iwaidja: “a man sent with a message” (Sam Freney explains the genesis of this term [in this article ): “For example, in Darwin last year, as we were working on a new translation of Luke 2:6–12 in Iwaidja, a Northern Territory language, the translators had written ‘angel’ as ‘a man with eagle wings’. Even before getting to the question of whether this was an accurate term (or one that imported some other information in), the word for ‘eagle’ started getting discussed. One of the translators had her teenage granddaughter with her, and this word didn’t mean anything to her at all. She’d never heard of it, as it was an archaic term that younger people didn’t use anymore. They ended up changing the translation of ‘angel’ to something like ‘a man sent with a message’, which is both more accurate and clear.”)
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way to do this is through the use of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) is used as in mi-tsukai (御使い) or “messenger (of God).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Bender / Belt (2025, p. 2f.) report about the translation of “angel” in Cherokee: “In John, the concept of angel is translated using a descriptive neologism rather than a semantic extension, suggesting the lack of a ready parallel. The plural is dmikahnawadidohi, ‘the law-givers’ or ‘those who go around looking after the medicine.’ Cherokee speakers argue that the Cherokee word for ‘law,’ dikahnawadvsdi, expresses the intent to maintain social, physical, and spiritual health and has at its core the word for ‘medicine,’ mwoli, which encompasses all aspects of social and spiritual well-being, including balance and order (Altman and Belt 2009), much more than the English word. Thus, the Cherokee word for ‘angel’ represents a new perspective on this category of spiritual beings named in the Bible. It does not derive from the concept of messenger present in both its Greek (angelos) and Hebrew (malak) antecedents perhaps because the Cherokee word for ‘messenger,’ atsinvsidasdi, is widely used to translate the foreign lexeme ‘servant.'”
Low German translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006: “steppe”
Yakan: “the lonely place” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “a land where no people lived” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “the place with no inhabitants” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Cherokee: inage or “far away downstream” (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 16)
Matumbi uses various term: lubele (desert, sandy place without water) — used in John 11:54, lupu’ngu’ti (a place where no people live, can be a scrub land, a forest, or a savanna) — used in Mark 1:3 et al.), and mwitu (a forest, a place where wild animals live) — used in Mark 1:13 et al.) (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
Chichewa Contemporary translation (2002/2016): chipululu: a place uninhabited by people with thick forest and bush (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Adioukrou: loj or “savannah” — “land that is not village, nor forest, nor field (source: Hill 2006)
Note that in Luke 15:4, usually a term is used that denotes pastoral land, such as “eating/grazing-place,” in Tagbanwa (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:19:
Uma: “Yesus continued walking, [and] not-yet far from there he again saw two brothers: Yakobus and Yohanes, the children of Zebedeus. They were fixing there nets in the boat.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “So-then when he had walked some way/distance he saw two siblings, Yakub and Yahiya, the sons of Sebede. They were there in their boat (bangka’) getting nets ready.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus continued walking along, and while he was walking Jesus saw James and the younger brother of James, John, who were the sons of Zebedee. They were repairing their nets in their boat.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “As they were walking further along the edge of the lake, Jesus saw another two siblings who were Santiago and Juan. They were riding in their boat preparing their nets.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Jesus continued walking and just a bit further he came upon two more brothers who were Santiago and Juan. They were the sons of Zebedeo. They were fixing their trawl-net there in the boat.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Then going a little farther on, he saw Zebedee’s child James. He saw his brother John too. when they were mending cast-nets in the canoe.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “Going on but a bit further, then He saw Jakub with his brother, Jokanan, children to Zabdi, while they were in the boat mending their nets.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “So continuing on his way a little bit more, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother. They were mending their nets in a boat.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:30:
Uma: “There, Petrus’s mother-in-law was lying down because she had-a-fever. They quickly told Yesus that she was sick.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “The mother-in-law of Simon was lying there having a fever. So-then immediately the people there told Isa about her.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “At that time the mother-in-law of Simon was sick and lying down with a fever. When Jesus arrived at the house, they told Jesus that Simon’s mother-in-law was sick.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Would-you-believe (discourse particle indicating a new development) Simon’s mother-in-law was lying-down because she was having-a-fever. They told-it to Jesus at once.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “On their arrival, the mother-in-law of Simon was lying down for she was fevering. They at once told Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Balinese: “The mother-in-law of Simon lay there sick fevering. and then quickly people there told Him about her.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down with a fever. So the first thing, they speak with him about her.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:9:
Uma: “One day, Yesus left Nazaret-town in Galilea-land, he came and requested-to-be-baptized by Yohanes. Yohanes baptized him in the Yordan river.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “So-then, at that time Isa arrived from Nasaret, a certain town there in the place/land Jalil. And he was bathed by Yahiya there in the river/water Jordan.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now at that time when John was baptizing, Jesus came to John from the village of Nazareth in the province of Galilee, and John baptized him in the river Jordan.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “During that time when Juan was baptizing, Jesus arrived from Nazaret, a town in the province Galilea, and Juan baptized him in the river Jordan.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “At that time Jesus arrived coming from Nazaret in the district of Galilea. When he arrived there, he was baptized by Juan there in the river Jordan.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Then during those days Jesus came from Nazareth which is in Galilee. When he came from there, John washed him, at the Jordan.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “At that time. Ida [Ida is a personal article referring to the highest caste] Jesus came from the village Nasaret in the territory of Galilea, and then was baptized by Jokanan in the river Jarden.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “So it was in this setting that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:41:
Uma: “Yesus’ love welled up seeing him. That is why he touched him and said to him: ‘[You] certainly may. I heal you (sing.)!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Isa had really pity on him. He stretched-out his hand and he touched the leper and said, ‘I really want to. You are now healed.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus took pity on him and placed his hand on him and said, ‘It is very good to my breath. Be healed.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Jesus felt-pity and extended his hand/arm to place it on that man. Then he said, ‘I want to, be cleaned.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Jesus truly did pity him. He touched that person, speaking at the same time, saying, ‘I really want to. Right now, you will now get better!'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Then pitying him he extended his hand. Having extended it, he touched him. He said: I want to. Be arranged, he said.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “In His pity His mind was as it were taken out of Him, and then He stretched forth His hand, touched him and said: ‘So is my wish. Let your stain be taken away.'” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “Well, Jesus was keenly affected, and, reaching out his hand, touched him. So he says to him, ‘I do so will. Be clean.'”
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:20:
Uma: “He called them to follow him. So they left their father in the boat with the people with them who were employed [lit., who ate salary], and they followed Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Immediately they were called by Isa and asked by him to come along (lit. taken/carried by him). So-then they left their father in the boat and the people they were employing, and they followed now Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when Jesus saw them, he called them to come with him, and then they left their father and their hired netters in the boat, and they went with Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Jesus immediately-called them, and they left their father and the men he was salarying in the boat, and they went-with Jesus too.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “They were also called by Jesus. Those two also followed (right behind) Jesus. As for their father, he was there still in the boat, left. Just his people/workers were his companions.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Then they left their father Zebedee seated in the canoe. Together with the workers they abandoned him. Having abandoned him, they went together behind Jesus.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “Then He called them too and they followed in Jesus’ steps. Their father Zabdi was left behind by them in the boat with the people that receive wages.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
English translation by Michael Pakaluk (2019): “So he called them right then and there. And so they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired hands, and, taking a place behind him, they walked away.”
