The Hebrew in Genesis 49:4that is translated as “you went up onto your father’s bed and defiled it” or similar in English is translated in Mwera as “you slept with my wife who is also in slavery.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
bow to the ground
The Hebrew that is translated as “bow to the ground” or similar in English is translated in Kwere as “bowing knees and face touching the ground.” (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Introduction to Proverbs (Pioneer Bible Translators)
(Pioneer Bible Translators and The Word for the World use the following introduction in many of their translation projects around the world.)
The book of Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings. Several authors contributed to the proverbs, but king Solomon, son of king David, wrote most of them. Solomon was known for his wisdom, and 1 Kings 4:32 says that he wrote 3,000 proverbs. So most of the book of Proverbs was written during Solomon’s lifetime in the 10th century BC. The rest of the book may have been written and compiled by the time Hezekiah ruled Judah in 715 to 686 BC (Proverbs 25:1).
Proverbs are wise sayings which are generally true, but are different than a promise or prophecy. For example, Proverbs 22:6 says that children raised in the right way will follow that way when they are grown up. However, this proverb is not a promise that nothing can or will go wrong in the life of a child who was raised in the right way. Rather, it is good advice based on what is generally true. The Book of Proverbs itself speaks to the purpose of proverbs in chapter 1:2–6. The purpose is to help simple and young people to recognize wisdom and good advice, and even to make the wise people wiser.
Outline of Proverbs:
1. Chapters 1 through 22:16 are Solomon’s proverbs.
2. Chapters 22:17 through 24 are two collections of the sayings of the wise.
3. Chapters 25 through 29 are another collection of Solomon’s proverbs. These were collected by king Hezekiah’s workers.
4. Chapter 30 contains the sayings of Agur.
5. Chapter 31:1-9 contains the sayings of Lemuel.
6. Finally, chapter 31:10-31 describes a wife of good character.
This work is owned by Pioneer Bible Translators International and The World for the World International and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License .
Translation: French
Introduction à Proverbes
Le livre des Proverbes est un recueil de sages paroles. Plusieurs auteurs ont contribué aux proverbes, mais le roi Salomon, fils du roi David, en a écrit la plupart. Salomon était connu pour sa sagesse, et 1Rois 4.32 dit qu’il a écrit 3.000 proverbes. Alors, la plupart du livre des Proverbes a été écrit pendant la vie de Salomon au 10e siècle av J.C. Le reste du livre peut avoir été écrit et compilé par le temps qu’Ézéchias a régné en Juda entre 715 et 686 av J.C. (Proverbes 25.1).
Les Proverbes sont de sages paroles qui sont vraies en général, mais qui sont différentes d’une promesse ou d’une prophétie. Par exemple, Proverbes 22.6 dit que les enfants élevés de la bonne façon suivront cette voie quand ils seront grands. Toutefois, cette proverbe n’est pas une promesse que rien ne peut, ni ne va, mal tourner dans la vie d’un enfant qui est élevé de la bonne façon. Plutôt, il s’agit d’un bon conseil sur la base de ce qui est vrai en général. Le livre des Proverbes lui-même parle du but des proverbes dans le chapitre 1 aux versets 2 à 6. Le but est d’aider les gens simples et jeunes à reconnaître la sagesse et le bon conseil, et même de rendre les sages plus sages.
Résumé de Proverbes
1. Chapitres 1 à 22.16 sont les proverbes de Salomon.
2. Chapitres 22.17 à 24 sont deux recueils des paroles des sages.
3. Chapitres 25 à 29 sont un autre recueil des proverbes de Salomon. Celles-ci ont été recueillies par les ouvriers du roi Ézéchias.
4. Chapitre 30 contient les paroles d’Agur.
5. Chapitre 31.1-9 contient les paroles de Lemuel.
6. Enfin, le chapitre 31.10-31 décrit une femme de bon caractère.
Translation: Swahili
Utangulizi wa Kitabu cha Methali
Kitabu cha Methali ni mkusanyiko wa semi za busara na hekima. Waandishi kadhaa walihusika kuziandika, lakini mfalme Sulemani, mwana wa Daudi, anatajwa kuwa ndiye aliyeziandika nyingi za methali hizo.[MB1] Mfalme Sulemani alijulikana kwa hekima yake, na kitabu cha 1 Wafalme 4:32 kinamwelezea Sulemani kwamba alitunga methali elfu tatu. Kwa hiyo, methali zilizo nyingi ziliandikwa katika kipindi cha uhai wa mfalme Sulemani aliyelitawala taifa la Israeli katika karne ya 10. Sehemu ya kitabu hiki iliyosalia iliandikwa na kuambatanishwa na zile zilizotangulia katika kipindi cha utawala wa mfalme Hezekia aliyelitawala taifa la Yuda kuanzia mwaka 715 hadi mwaka 686 KK (Methali 25:1).
Methali ni semi zinazobeba busara na ukweli katika mapana yake, lakini zilizotofautiana na semi za kibiblia zinazobeba ahadi au unabii. Kwa mfano, Methali 22:6 inasema kwamba watoto waliopewa malezi mema wataifuata njia ya uadilifu hata watakapokuwa wamefikia utu uzima. Hata hivyo, methali hii haitoi ahadi kwamba hakuna jambo lolote litakalokwenda kombo katika maisha ya mtoto aliyepewa malezi mema. Licha ya uhalisia huo wa kimaisha, huu ni ushauri ulio wa kweli katika mapana yake yote. Kitabu chenyewe cha Methali kinajizungumzia kuhusiana na kusudi la methali katika sura 1:2-6. Kusudi lenyewe ni kuwasaidia vijana wasio na maarifa waweze kupata hekima na kutambua busara na mashauri yaliyo bora, na hata kuwafanya wale wenye busara wawe na busara zaidi.
Muhtasari wa Yaliyomo:
1. Kuanzia sura ya 1 hadi 22:16 ni methali za Sulemani.
2. Sura 22:17 hadi 24 ni makundi mawili ya mkusanyiko wa semi za wenye hekima.
3. Sura 25 hadi 29 ni mkusanyiko mwingine wa methali za Sulemani. Methali hizi zilikusanywa na watumishi wa mfalme Hezekia.
4. Sura 30 inajazwa na kukamilishwa na semi za Aguri.
5. Sura 31:1-9 inazo semi za Lemueli. Mwishowe, sura 31:10-31 inamwelezea mwanamke mwenye mwenendo ulio bora.
Introduction to Colossians (Pioneer Bible Translators)
(Pioneer Bible Translators and The Word for the World use the following introduction in many of their translation projects around the world.)
The letter to the Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul (1:1). He wrote the letter while he was in prison, probably in Rome, around 60 years after the birth of Christ. Colossians, together with Ephesians and Philemon, are called the prison letters since Paul wrote them while he was in prison. He wrote this letter to the church in the city of Colossae. Paul did not start the church in Colossae, as he mentions in 2:1, but must have felt some responsibility for it. It’s possible that Epaphras founded the church since he was from Colossae.
Paul was concerned by some false teaching in the church at Colossae. He spent much of the letter writing about it. There may have been a group of Jewish Christians who were trying to force the other Christians to follow the Jewish laws from the Old Testament, especially circumcision. Paul writes specifically that Christians need nothing or no-one else except Christ in order to be accepted by God (1:15–20) and that teachings based on human reasoning are useless (2:8).
Outline
1. Paul starts the letter by greeting the church in Colossae (1:1-2).
2. Then he writes about the greatness of Christ especially in response to the false teaching in Colossae (1:3-3:4).
3. As in many of Paul’s letters, he spends the latter half of the letter giving some specific instructions for good Christian living (3:5-4:6).
4. Paul finishes with greetings and instructions for the letter to be read aloud in other churches (4:7-18).
This work is owned by Pioneer Bible Translators International and The World for the World International and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License .
Translation: French
Introduction à Colossiens
C’est l’apôtre Paul qui a écrit la lettre aux Colossiens (1 :1). Il a écrit la lettre quand il était en prison, probablement à Rome, environ 60 ans après la naissance de Christ. Colossiens avec Ephésiens et Philémon s’appellent les lettres de prison puisqu’il les a écrites lorsqu’il était en prison. Il a écrit cette lettre à l’église dans la ville de Colosses. Paul n’a pas commencé l’église à Colosses, comme il mentionne en 2 :1, mais il sentait une certaine responsabilité à son égard. Il est possible qu’Épaphras ait fondé l’église puisqu’il était de Colosses.
Paul était préoccupé par les faux enseignements dans l’église de Colosses. Il écrit à ce sujet dans une bonne partie de la lettre. Il se peut qu’il y ait eu un groupe de chrétiens d’origine juive qui tachaient d’obliger les autres chrétiens à suivre les lois juives de l’Ancien Testament, surtout la circoncision. Paul écrit spécifiquement que les chrétiens n’ont besoin de personne ni de rien d’autre que Christ pour être acceptés par Dieu (1 :15-20) et que les enseignements basés sur le raisonnement humain sont inutiles (2 :8)
Résumé
1. Paul commence la lettre en saluant l’église à Colosses (1 :1-2)
2. Ensuite, il écrit sur la grandeur de Christ, surtout en réponse aux faux enseignements à Colosses (1 :3-3 :4).
3. Comme dans de nombreuses lettres de Paul, il utilise la dernière moitié de la lettre pour donner des instructions spécifiques pour la vie chrétienne (3 :5 – 4 :6).
4. Paul termine avec des salutations et des instructions pour que la lettre soit lue à haute voix dans les autres églises (4 :7-18).
Translation: Swahili
Utangulizi wa kitabu cha Wakolosai
Barua kwaWakolosai iliandikwa na Mtume Paulo (1:1). Aliiandika barua hii akiwa kifungoni katika mji wa Roma. Yawezekana iliandikwa mwaka wa 60 baada ya kuzaliwa Yesu Kristo. Barua kwa Wakolosai, pamoja na zile zingine kwa Waefeso na Filemoni huitwa barua za kifungoni kutokana na ukweli kwamba Paulo aliziandika akiwa kifungoni. Aliiandika barua hii kwa kanisa lililokuwa katika mji wa Kolosai. Paulo hakulianzisha kanisa la Wakolosai kama alivyoeleza katika 2:1, lakini yawezekana alijiona kuwa na wajibu kwa kanisa hilo. Pengine kanisa hili lilianzishwa na Epafra kwa kuwa yeye alikuwa mwenyeji wa Kolosai.
Paulo alikuwa ameshtushwa na mafundisho fulani ya uwongo ndani ya kanisa la Kolosai. Sehemu kubwa ya barua hiyo ilishughulikia tatizo hilo. Yawezekana kulikuwa na kikundi cha Wakristo wenye asili ya Kiyahudi waliojaribu kuwalazimisha Wakristo wengine wafuate sheria za Kiyahudi zilizotokana na Agano la Kale, na hasa hasa suala la tohara. Paulo anaandika mahususi, kwamba Wakristo hawahitaji chochote au yeyote isipokuwa Kristo ili wapate kukubaliwa na Mungu (1:15-20), na kwamba mafundisho yenye misingi yake katika mawazo ya kibinadamu hayana manufaa (2:8).
Muhtasari
1. Paulo anaianza barua yake kwa kutoa salamu kwa kanisa lililo Kolosai (1:1-2).
2. Kisha anaandika kuhusu ukuu wa Kristo, hili likiwa jibu mahususi kwa mafundisho ya uwongo yaliyoenea katika Kolosai (1:3-3:4).
3. Kama ilivyokuwa kawaida katika barua zake nyingi, Paulo anaitumia nusu nyingine ya barua kwa kutoa maelekezo mahususi kuonyesha namna iwapasavyo Wakristo waishi (3:5-4:6).
4. Paulo anahitimisha kwa kutoa salamu na maelekezo kwamba barua hii isomwe mbele ya waumini wote walio katika makanisa mengine (4:7-18).
desert / wilderness
The Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “desert” or “wilderness” in English is translated in a number of ways:
- Mairasi: “a place where noisiness is cut off (or: stops)” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
- Muna: pandaso bhalano pr “big barren-field” (source: René van den Berg)
- Wantoat: “cold windy place where no one lives” (source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation, March 1965, p. 2-20)
- Balinese: “barren field” (source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
- Wantoat: “uninhabited place” (source: Holzhausen 1991, p. 38)
- Umiray Dumaget Agta: “where no people dwell” (source: Larson 1998, p. 98)
- Shipibo-Conibo: “where no house is” (source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
- Amri Karbi: “waterless region/place” (source: Philippova 2021, p. 368)
- Ocotlán Zapotec: “large empty place” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
- Pa’o Karen: “jungle” (denoting a place without any towns, villages and tilled fields) (source: Gordon Luce in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 153f. )
- 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)
- Morelos Nahuatl: “where nobody lives”
Isthmus Mixe: “dry country” (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
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).
See also wilderness and desolate wilderness.
seven times
The Hebrew in Proverbs 24:16 that is translated as “seven times” in English is translated in Vidunda as “many times” since the number “seven” symbolically stands for “many.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
See also seven.
wise (Gen. 3:6)
The Hebrew that is typically translated as “wise” or “wisdom” in English is translated in Nyamwezi as wu’manyi: “awareness, discernment.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
steadfast love
The Hebrew that is translated as “steadfast love,” “lovingkindness” (Goldingay 2018: “commitment”) or similar in English is translated in a number of ways:
- Vidunda: “love of enduring” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
- Bura-Pabir: “love which cannot be-changed” (hyirkur na a palidzi wa)
- Hausa Common Language Bible “his love without changing” (kaunarsa marar canjawa) (source for this and above: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
- Elhomwe: “love that does not finish” (echikondi yoohisintheya) (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
- Nyamwezi: chelu, combining “love,” “faithfulness,” “loyalty,” and “kindness” (source: James Lundeen)
- Newari: dayāmāyā (दयामाया), a compound word made from two Sanskrit-derived terms: dayā (दया) or “compassion, mercy, kindness” and māyā (माया) or “love, affection” (source: Newari Back Translation)
In Pijin tinghevi long or “think heavy about” is used. “The Pijin expression ‘think heavy about’ is very much within the domain of committed relationships. The relationship between father and child, husband and wife, God and His people. There is a very strong element of ‘loyalty’ in this expression.” (Source: Bob Carter)
In Latvian the term žēlastība is used both for “steadfast love” and grace.
In a number of languages, the terms for for “steadfast love” and mercy are used interchangeably.