The Hebrew and Ge’ez that is translated as “ancestors” in English is translated in Kwere as “deceased ancestors” because the word for “ancestor” can also mean “grandfather.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
a people
The Greek in Matthew 21:43 that is translated as “a people” or similar in English is translated in Matumbi as “other people.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
rows of stones on Aaron's breastpiece
The Hebrew that is translated into a wide and often differing variety of gemstones on Aaron’s breastpiece in English and other translations, was translated with a focus on their colors in a West African language:
Row One: a red stone, a stone the color of the yellow fruit inside the pod of the African locust bean (parkia biglobosa ), and a blue colored stone mixed with the color of fresh growth on trees (green)
Row Two: deep red stone, a blue colored stone, diamond
Row Three: a stone the color of an orange, a stone with many colored stripes, a stone the color of a local purple fruit
Row Four: a stone of deep green color, a stone with splotches of color, and a green stone.
(See this blog entry )
The Manya translators “only knew a word for diamond, so we transliterated the others, giving some idea of the color for each one.” (Source: Don Slager)
See also jewels in the New Jerusalem.
fine leather
The Hebrew that is translated as “fine leather” or “badger/porpoise skin” in English is translated in Kutu as ng’hwembe ya mhala or “skins of bushbuck” (for bushbuck, see here ). (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
In Yao, it is translated as “soft leather of a big sea animal” (source: UBS, project-specific translation notes in Paratext), in Newari as “dolphin skin” (source: Newari Back Translation), in Kupsabiny as “hides of a hippo” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation), and in Opo as “soft skins” (source: Opo Back Translation).
The English Jewish Orthodox ArtScroll Tanach translation (publ. 2011) transliterates it as tachash-hide. (Source: Zetzsche)
See also fine leather and dugong.
gird your sword on your thigh
The Hebrew in Psalm 45:3 that is translated as “gird your sword on your thigh” or similar in English is translated in Kwere as “gird your sword around your waist.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
his Christ
The Greek in Acts 4:26 that is translated as “his Christ” or “his Messiah” in English is translated in Congo Swahili as “Lord and Christ whom he chose.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
vindicated
The Hebrew in Genesis 20:16 that is translated as “vindicated” or similar in English is translated in Kutu as “every person knows that you have not done any bad.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
See also vindicate.
distance of a bowshot
The Hebrew in Genesis 21:16 that is translated as “distance of a bowshot” in English is translated in Nyamwezi as ntambo igana li’mo or “about 100 paces,” since the distance of a bowshot did not communicate distance very well. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)