complete verse (Luke 2:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 2:14:

  • Noongar: “‘Great, great thanks to God, high in his Holy Country, and peace on our Earth. Peace to all good people. God is happy with them.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “‘Come let us worship God who is in heaven! and on earth, people whom he likes receive goodness of life.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘God is worthy to be praised in heaven and on earth may the people who please God be in peace/have peace.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “they said, ‘Let us (inc.) praise God who is in Heaven. And here on the earth may the situation become peaceful of all those people with whom God is pleased.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘God in heaven is honored/praised. The people on earth who make-him-happy will-be-at-peace.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘Praise God who is in the high-part of the sky/heaven. And here under the heavens, peace/protection of mind/inner-being is what he will give to people who are pleasing to him.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Kupsabiny: “God is big/great in heaven/up | peace is coming | to people who please/love God.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “Let’s lift up Deo’s name who is living very high up! | And the people on earth whom Deo is happy with, his action of peace (lit. “of a smooth interior”) remains with them.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Mairasi: “‘We who are in the Heaven, we must honor Great Above One [God]! And then you guys, you who live in the world, you who are in Above-One’s vision [who are pleasing to Him], good peace is intended to be yours!’ said they.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Hausa Common Language Bible: “’Glory to God over there in heaven! | On earth let peace it remain | together with those whom God he feels pleasure of them!’” (Source: Hausa Common Language Back Translation)
  • Pfälzisch translation by Walter Sauer (publ. 2012): “Honor belongs to God in heaven | and peace shall reign on earth | among the people | because he loves them.”
  • Low German translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006: “Praise and honor for God the Lord above | and peace down here on earth for people who mean it with all their heart and have the favor.”
  • Hawai’i Creole English: “Up in heaven where God lives, | may he continue to be awesome! | And here on earth | If God likes what people are doing | He’ll make their hearts rest within them.” (Source for this and two above: Zetzsche)
  • English: “‘God is great! He lives in the highest place above. | He will bless the people on earth who please him. | They will have peace in their minds.’” (Source: EasyEnglish Bible)
  • English: “‘May all the angels in the highest heaven praise God! And on the earth may the people to whom God has shown his favor have peace with him!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (1 Kings 1:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 1:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “The young girl was very beautiful. She used to stay with the king and would take care of him. But the king did not sleep with (have sexual intercourse with) that young girl.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “She was very beautiful. She took care of the king and served him. The king, however, did not have intercourse with her.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Abishag was very beautiful, and she became the one-who-takes-care of the king. But the king never touched/(had-sexual-relations-with) her.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “She was truly very beautiful. She took care of the king, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 24:65)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 24:65:

  • Kankanaey: “and she asked-for-information from the slave, ‘Who is that man who is approaching to meet-us?’ ‘The child of my master,’ he said answering. Therefore Rebeka covered her face with a head-cloth, because that was the custom of young-ladies there.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then she asked Abraham’s servant — ‘Who is [that] man coming from over there?'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “and asked the servant of Abraham, ‘Who is that man in the field who is-approaching us (excl.)?’ The servant answered, ‘He is my master Isaac.’ Therefore Rebeka covered her face with a veil.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “and asked the servant, ‘Who is that man who is approaching?’ The servant replied, ‘That is Isaac, my master, the man you will be marrying.’ So she took her veil and covered her face, which was the custom for a woman who was about to be married.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 28:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 28:15:

  • Kankanaey: “It is moreover utterly true that I will be with you (sing.) continually so-that I will take-care-of you (sing.) wherever (lit. even-if where) you-(sing.)-go. Then I will also escort you (sing.) to return to this country here. I will not moreover leave/abandon you (sing.), but rather I will fulfill all that I promised to you (sing.),’ God said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I am with you. No matter where you go I will be caring for you. And I will bring you back here. I will not leave you until the work of [my] promise to you has been fulfilled.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Always remember that I am-with you and I will-watch-over you wherever you go. I will-have- you -return to this land and I will- not -leave you until I have-fulfilled my promise to you.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “I will help you and protect you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you; I will continue to do for you all that I have promised to do.'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 25:27)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 25:27:

  • Kankanaey: “When they two had-grown-up (lit. become-large), Esau became-skilled in hunting and always/only to the woods is where-he-was-going. Jacob however, he was a thoughtful/reflective person who stayed-close-to-home.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “After they became big, Esau became a good hunter and one who would be outside. Jacob, however, was gentle and became one who only did house work.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When the two children had-grown-up/[lit. had-gotten-big], Esau became a skillful hunter and he was always in the field while Jacob on-the-other-hand was a quiet man and always staying in tents.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter. He spent a lot of time out in the fields. Jacob was a quiet man who stayed close to the campsite.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Ruth 4:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 4:13:

  • Noongar: “So, Boaz took Ruth and Ruth became his wife. They lay together and God blessed Ruth. She became pregnant and bore their son.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
  • Eastern Bru: “Then Boaz took Ruth to be his wife. They lived together. And God gave Ruth a son.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So Boaz married Ruth, and the LORD willed that Ruth became-pregnant. Some time-later Ruth gave-birth to a son.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So Boaz took Ruth home, and she became his wife. He slept with/had sexual relations with her and Yahweh enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

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. )

complete verse (Ruth 2:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 2:1:

  • Noongar: “Now, a relative of Naomi, he was named Boaz. He was a relative of Naomi’s husband, famous in the tribe of Elimelech.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
  • Eastern Bru: “Naomi had a person from the clan of her husband Elimelech. That person was named Boaz, and he was a person who had great authority, and he was also rich.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: (verses 1-3) “One day, Ruth said to Noemi, ‘Allow me to go to the field to glean the heads-of-grain of a man who will-allow me to do it.’ Noemi said to her, ‘Okay child, you(sg) go.’ So Ruth went-out and gleaned the heads-of-grain that were-left-behind by the harvesters. And it-so-happened that she gleaned there at the field of Boaz the relative of Elimelec. Boaz was a wealthy and famous man.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “There was a man in Bethlehem who belonged to the clan of Naomi’s dead husband, Elimelech. He was rich and well-known/influential. His name was Boaz.” (Source: Translation for Translators)