The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “cried out the Lord (or: Lord)” in English is translated in Newari as “took the name of the Lord (or: Lord)” (source: Newari Back Translation).
menstruate, the way of women
The Hebrew in Genesis 31:35 that is translated in English as “the way of women (is upon me)” or similar, referring to menstruation, is translated in Newari as “I am not to be touched.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
See also menstruation and hemorrhages / flow of blood.
complete verse (Proverbs 15:24)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 15:24:
- Kupsabiny: “(A) wise man heads for (a/the) path of life,
so that (he) may not fall headlong into the world of the dead.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation) - Newari: “The road followed by those
who have wisdom
moves them upwards towards life,
and it takes [them] far away from death.” (Source: Newari Back Translation) - Hiligaynon: “A wise man follows the path that leads to life so-that he can-avoid death.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “The path-taken-by the wise is the path that leads to life which is not the path that leads to death.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- English: “Wise people walk on a road that leads up to a long life;
they do not walk on a road that leads down to the place where dead people are.” (Source: Translation for Translators) - Tuvan: “The wise man, in order to avoid the lower world, will tread the heights on the road leading to life.”
- Kalmyk: “The wise man, in order to avoid death, in order to live long and happily, goes up.” (Source for this and one above: Alexey Somov in The Bible Translator 2017, p. 51ff. )
with all heart
The Greek and Hebrew that is usually translated with “with all (one’s) heart” in English is translated in Newari as “from (one’s) inmost heart” (source: Newari Back Translation)
vindicate
The Hebrew that is translated in English as “vindicate (me)” or “judge (me favorably)” is translated in these ways:
- Kupsabiny: “declare me righteous” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “show everyone that I have no guilt” (source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “prove that I do not have sin” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- Eastern Bru: “request you say for other people to know I don’t have any sin” (source: Bru Back Translation)
- Laarim: “say that I am blameless” (source: Laarim Back Translation)
- Hausa: “show that I am lacking fault” (source: Hausa Common Language Bible Back Translation)
- Mandarin Chinese / German: “give me justice” (Source: Zetzsche)
- English Translation for Translators: “show that I am innocent/have not done what is wrong” / Easy English Bible: “show that I am not guilty of wrong things”
See also vindicated.
coat of mail
The Hebrew, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “coat of mail” or similar in English is translated in Newari as “iron sheet” (source: Newari Back Translation).
light
The Hebrew and Ge’ez that is translated in English as “light” is translated in Newari as “white light.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
In Tenharim the translation is mytuêa or “open/clear space.” LaVera Betts (in: Notes on Translation, September 1971, p. 16ff.) explains: “According to Catarina, the chief’s wife, the moon is a woman and the stars, also considered snails, are her children. In Gen 1:14, therefore, ‘the lights in the firmament of heaven’ is translated literally ‘the lamps/illuminating things on the heaven’ to eliminate the idea of the moon, etc. being animate. To express the idea of light (Gen. 1:3), then, without the presence yet of the sun, moon, or stars, the term open/clear space: mytuêa, was used. Neither the heavenly bodies nor artificial lights nor their obvious rays have to be seen in order for this term to be appropriate. It is a term indicating merely the opposite of no light, that is, the opposite of darkness; and since there were no objects to fill in the space, it still is true in the other sense of the term. Other terms meaning light involved the presence of the sun, moon, stars, or artificial lighting.”
In Idoma, the normal word for “light” is “fire,” so ofíajɛ or “shining” was used instead (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin).
See also John Roberts’ Biblical Cosmology: The Implications for Bible Translation in Journal of Translation 2013/2, p. 1ff .
See also let there be light.
cupbearer
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated in English as “cupbearer” is translated in Newari as “new wine vessel holder.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)