Wendland, Ernst R. The Cultural Factor in Bible Translation (UBS Monograph Series No. 2). London: United Bible Societies, 1987.
The Hebrew in 2 Samuel 13:2 that is translated as “was so tormented” or similar in English is translated in Chichewa (interconfessional translation) with the existing metaphor “could not lay down in sleep.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 131)
In a Chewa/Tonga setting Boaz could not address Ruth as “My daughter” (which turns out to be “my child” in Chichewa/Chitonga) unless he happened to be very much older than she was. He would rather say “mother” (mai, i.e., moderate respect, versus the ultimate honorific, “mothers”). Neither could he refer to his laborers as “my maidens,” for in Chitonga this could be interpreted as meaning his girlfriends. Instead he would use “female workers” and omit the “my.”
Source: Wendland 1987, p. 174.
The Hebrew, Greek, Ge’ez, and Latin that is typically as “compassion” in English (“compassion” comes from the Latin compatior and means suffering with) is translated in various ways:
See also pain-love, moved with compassion (pity), and Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling.”
The Hebrew in Genesis 16:12 that is translated as “wild ass of a man” of “wild donkey” in English is translated in Chol as “uncontrollable” (with a negative connotation).
In Chichewa (interconfessional translation) it is translated as mtima wa chilombo or “with the heart of a beast.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 130)
See also wild ass.
The report of the carrying out of Naomi’s plan occasions the same problems for the C/T receptor that her preceding words did (v. 3). In fact, the clash in customs is reinforced. One must be careful in this account not to employ an expression for the original “his heart was merry” (after drinking) which would suggest that Boaz was in a drunken condition. Furthermore, it is necessary in both Chichewa/Chitonga to add the words, “While he (Boaz) was asleep . . . ,” in order to reduce the likelihood of overtones of illegitimacy being mistakenly attached by receptors to Ruth’s actions here.
Source: Wendland 1987, p. 178.
The Hebrew in 2 Kings 10:15 that is translated as “Is your heart as true to mine as mine is to yours?” or similar in English is translated in Chichewa (interconfessional translation) with the existing idiom “You and I, our hearts have met together.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 104)
The Hebrew in 1 Samuel 25:17 that is translated as “no one can speak to him” or similar in English is translated in Chitonga with the existing metaphor “he is like talking to a stone.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 131)