The Hebrew in Psalm 32:9 that is translated as “without understanding” or similar in English is reinforced in Sar with the ideophone (a word that expresses what is perceived by the five senses) páráńg á (“Do not imitate the horse or donkey which are beasts páráńg á). Páráńg á stands for “‘a lot.’ Examples: a person who smells strongly of beer, being terribly thirsty, words that exasperated a person.” (Source: Ngarbolnan Riminan in Le Sycomore 2000, p. 20ff. )
In Kwere it is translated as “they don’t know anything.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
The Hebrew in Leviticus 19:26 that is translated as “practice divination” (or: “augury”) in English is translated in Kwere as sekemulole bawo or “look at the board,” a Kwere idiom for divination including various ways of telling the future or determining causes for misfortune. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
The Hebrew in Psalm 37:14 that is translated as “draw the sword and bend their bows” or similar in English is translated in Makonde as “draw the sword and aim their bows.” “The Makonde said it just doesn’t fit the context to say they have drawn their swords, but then they’re still stringing their bows [which is the original meaning in the Hebrew]. Everyone translates it as aim here, so maybe that is a possible meaning as well. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
The Greek in Ephesians 5:2 that is translated as “gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” or similar in English is translated in Matumbi as “and gave himself to be an offering having a good smell on the altar to God.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
The Hebrew in 2 Chronicles 28:4 that is translated as “(under) green tree” in English is translated in Kwere as “under unripe leaves,” i.e. green leaves or leaves that are “alive” (as opposed to dead and withered). (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
The Greek in Matthew 27:52 that is translated as “many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep” in English is translated in Matumbi as “many of those who died being accepted by God, they were raised.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
The Greek that is translated as “casting a net” in English has an immediate equivalent in Muna with buani: “to cast a (circular) net.” René van den Berg: “In this instance the Muna translation is possibly more graphic than the English, which leaves the nature of the net rather vague.”
This is illustrated for use in Bible translations in East Africa by Pioneer Bible Translators like this:
Image owned by PBT and Jonathan McDaniel and licensed with the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
In the German translation by Fridolin Stier (1989) has “cast a circular net.”
The Hebrew in Psalm 92:14 that is translated as “they are always green and full of sap” or similar in English is translated in Kwere as “they will have moisture and many leaves.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
