medium

The Hebrew that is translated as “medium” in English is translated in Basa as “the people of the grave” (source: Rob Koops) and in Newari as “a person who knowingly becomes possessed” (source: Newari Back-Translation).

not swear falsely

The Greek in Matthew 5:33 that is translated in English as something like “do not swear falsely” is translated in Balanta-Kentohe as “do not make oaths like an empty groundnut shell” (i.e., with no intention of fulfilling them).

See also swear / vow.

bridegroom of her youth

The Hebrew in Joel 1:8that is translated as “Lament (or: wail) like a virgin . . . for the bridegroom of her youth” in English is translated into Igede as “when her betrothed dies green” (i.e., prematurely).

honey

The Hebrew of the middle part of Song of Songs 5:1 is translated in many English translations (Authorized Version, Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, Christian Standard Bible, Common English Bible, New Living Translation and the New American Bible among others) as “I ate my honeycomb with my honey.”

Rob Koops remarks on this: “One wonders if they missed the double meaning of ‘my honey,’ (=my loved one) or saw it, chuckled, and left it in the text. I’m not sure how widely ‘honey’ or ‘my honey’ is used in English for a loved one, but for some of us this is quite common.”

hovering over the face of the waters

The Hebrew that is translated into English as “moving (or: hovering) over the (sur)face of the waters” is translated into Ebira as “(the spirit of God) stayed above the water doing NANANA [ideophone].” (Source: Rob Koops)

In Bari it is translated with bibirto, “which is used of a bird hovering over its nest or fluttering round a bunch of ripe bananas.” (Source: Source: P. Guillebaud in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 189ff. .)

In Kutu it is translated as “spreading over the water” and in Nyamwezi as ku’elela: “to circle around slowly over water, without touching it.” In Kwere it is translated with katanda, which carries the meaning of being ‘spread out’ over the water as one would spread a blanket out over a bed. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

eyes brightened, strength returned

The Hebrew in 1 Samuel 14:27 that is translated as “eyes brightened” or “strength returned” in English is translated in Mandinka as “his eyes were opened.” “This turns out to be a remarkable coincidence of idiom between Hebrew and Mandinka, both implying ‘strength returns.'” (Source: Rob Koops)

Likewise, in Chichewa (interconfessional translation) it is translated with a proverb that says “his eyes were brightened” and (also) refers to hunger being satisfied. (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 104)

chaste behavior, pure, pure conduct

The Greek in 1 Peter 3:2 that is translated in English as “pure conduct” (or “chaste behavior”) is translated in Balanta-Kentohe as “good walk.” (Source: Rob Koops)

The standalone term that is translated as “pure” is translated in Mezquital Otomi as “that which cleanses one’s thoughts,” and in Alekano as “making our insides white.” (Source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.).

See also snow (color).

make someone work hard

The Hebrew in Exodus 1:13 that is translated with some version of “they made the people of Israel work hard” in English is translated in Mandinka as “made them work like donkeys.”