ponder

The Greek in Luke 2:19 that is translated as “ponder” in English is translated as

  • “continually think-about” in Tboli
  • “turn around in the mind” in Batak Toba
  • “puzzle forth, puzzle back” in Sranan Tongo (source for this and above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • “constantly setting down her visions” in Mairasi (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • “carried all those words in her heart and then sat thinking” in Enga (source: Adam Boyd on his blog )
  • “moved them in her heart” (bewegte sie in ihrem Herzen) in the German Luther translation
  • “tied those words in her stomach” in Kupsabiny (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)

In Low German idiomatically as “let it pass through her heart again and again” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).

See also treasured all these things in her heart.

her feet do not stay at home

The Hebrew in Proverbs 7:11 that is translated as “her feet do not stay at home” or similar in English is translated in Kupsabiny as “her leg is sharpened for prostitution that (it) cannot make her stay in her house.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)

complete verse (1 Kings 1:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 1:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “The young girl was very beautiful. She used to stay with the king and would take care of him. But the king did not sleep with (have sexual intercourse with) that young girl.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “She was very beautiful. She took care of the king and served him. The king, however, did not have intercourse with her.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Abishag was very beautiful, and she became the one-who-takes-care of the king. But the king never touched/(had-sexual-relations-with) her.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “She was truly very beautiful. She took care of the king, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

virtue / excellence

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The Greek that is typically translated as “virtue” or “excellence” in English is translated in other languages in the following ways:

  • Doondo / Bhele / Komo: “good behavior” (source: Madel M’Pandzou; Ung’i Atido)
  • Bariai: “good behaviors” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Mairasi “improved lives/behavior” (Enggavoter 2004)
  • Bali / Bila / Vanuma: “goodness” (source: Ung’i Atido)
  • Ngiti (Ndruna): “doing good” (source: Ung’i Atido)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “good works” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “really good nature/ways” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “earnestly live good” (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Hausa: “character of goodness” (Hausa Common Language Back Translation)
  • Mandarin Chinese: déxíng 德行 or “moral behavior” (Protestant) / yìlì 毅力 or “willpower” (Catholic)
  • English EasyEnglish Bible (publ. 2018): “try to do what is good”
  • Low German translation by Johannes Jessen (publ. 1937, republ. 2008): “stand your ground as a Christian”
  • Pennsylvania Dutch: goot layva or “good life”
  • Mukulu (Guerguiko): sooru ki diine or “walk in the middle” (source: Barnabas Al-Nadif Nidjei)
  • Bokoto (Bhogoto): dɛɛmɔ nɛ riwarɛɛ or “behavior on the path (of life)” (source: Adam Huntley)
  • Budu-Nita translation by CITBA (Centre Interconfessionnel de la Traduction de la Bible et Alphabétisation): mʉkyananakɨa wɔta uɗo or “good character” (source: François Anzabati)
  • Ngiemboon : mà wembóŋo or “good habit,” i.e. something that is recognized as the right way to do things (source: Moise Yonta)

if God is for us

The Greek in Romans 8:31 that is translated as “if God is for us” in English is translated as

  • “if God is in fellowship with us” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui
  • “if God does not abandon us” in Miahuatlán Zapotec
  • “if God is united with us” in Yatzachi Zapotec
  • “God is the one who helps us” in Huehuetla Tepehua
  • “God himself loves us” in Teutila Cuicatec
  • “if God is in our favor” in Isthmus Zapotec
  • “if God is our helper” in Highland Totonac (source for this above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • “if God is ours” in Kupsabiny (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • “if God is on our side” in Low German translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006
  • “we can say that God is really defending us” in Hiligaynon (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • “now we are friends with God” in Tenango Otomi (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • “if Above-One is the One who guards us” in Mairasi (source: Enggavoter 2004)

patriarchs

The Greek that is often translated as “patriarchs” in English is translated as

  • “first old fathers” in Isthmus Zapotec
  • “the ancient fathers” in Tzeltal / Highland Totonac
  • “the old important people who lived long ago were forefathers of the Israelites” in Yatzachi Zapotec
  • “the 12 sons of Jacob” Central Tarahumara
  • “the fathers from way back when” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • “chiefs over each of the clans of Israel” in Bariai (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • “our twelve grandfathers” in Kupsabiny (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • “twelve children from where Jews came-from” in Hiligaynon (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

no one comes to the Father but by me

The Greek in John 14:6 that is translated as “no one comes to the father, but by me” is translated in various ways:

  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “one can’t go to my Father unless he is saved by me”
  • Aguaruna: “no one, just by himself, is able to arrive where my Father is, but with me he is able to arrive”
  • Asháninka: “no one just goes to my Father. I am the one who will take you”
  • Yanesha’: “no one approaches to where Father is if they do not first come to me”
  • Chol: “there is no one who will arrive where my Father is, except those who are in my care
  • Alekano: “by passing me there is no way to approach my Father” (source for this and above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
  • Kupsabiny “nobody can go to my Father’s Homestead if he does not pass through me” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “There’s no-one who can go there to God the Father unless I am the trail he travels” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Only those who believe in me will arrive where my Father is” (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)