The Greek that is translated in English as “music” is translated in Muna as “the sound of the gong and the drum.” René van den Berg explains: “There is no abstract word for ‘music’ (the footnote has the loan musik).”
In Nyongar it is translated as “singing” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Mazagway as “the sound of singing” (source: Ken Hollingsworth), in Uma as “people playing flutes” (source: Uma Back Translation), in Yakan as “playing-of-the-kulintang/gongs” (source: Yakan Back Translation), in Western Bukidnon Manobo as “drum” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation), and in Mofu-Gudur as “the sound of drumming” (source: Ken Hollingsworth).
In Burmese it is “the sound of beating-blowing.” “‘Beating blowing’ is a general term for instrumental music and covers the sound of percussion instruments, wind and brass instruments which are blown, and some stringed instruments which are also ‘beaten.'” (Source: Anonymous)
The Greek that is usually translated as “the whole land” in English is translated in Uma as “all over the village” (source: Uma Back Translation), in Yakan as “that whole place/country” (source: Yakan Back Translation), in Western Bukidnon Manobo as “the whole world” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation), and in Tenango Otomi as “all the earth” (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation).
Catholic translations that rely on the Latin Vulgate‘s ambiguous totam terram (which, just as the Greek, could refer to the terrestrial globe or a particular place of land) tend to also stay ambiguous. The Spanish Reina Valera has toda la tierra and the English Douay Rheims likewise reads the whole earth. (Source: Knox 1949, p. 20)
The Greek that is translated as “desert” or “wilderness” in English is translated in a number of ways:
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.
the Greek that is translated as “lays it on his shoulders” in English is translated in Yakan as “take it in his arms” (source: Yakan Back Translation), in Western Bukidnon Manobo as “carries him in his arms” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation), and in Tagbanwa as “carries it round his neck” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).
Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:1:
- Huehuetla Tepehua: “The Word was living when there was still nothing at all. And that Word lived in the same place God did. And that Word was God himself.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “When the world began, the person who is the Word was already present. He was with God and the person who is the Word was God.”
- Chol: “In the beginning of the world there already was the Word. This Word already was with God. This Word was (and still is) God.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Long ago before anything was created, the one who is titled the Word of God already was. This Word of God, he already was with God and he is God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Before the world and heavens/sky was laid-down/spread-out (i.e. existed), there was already Jesus who is called Word/Speech of God. This one referred to as Word, he was already there in the presence of God. Not just in the presence of God but on the contrary, this Word who is Jesus, he indeed is the one who is this God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “The Son of God makes it known how God is. When the world was made, already he was living. He was in fellowship with God. He also is God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Anindilyakwa: “Right at the beginning, long, long ago, Jesus Christ was there, the one who revealed God who was hidden from us. Before God made the heavens and the earth, right at that time the same one was already there with God. And those two, the same one and God, they were the same/shared the same characteristics.” (Source: Julie Waddy in The Bible Translator 2004, p. 452ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 20:23:
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “If you forgive the sins of someone, he is no longer guilty; and if you do not forgive the sin of a person, he is still guilty.”
- Ojitlán Chinantec: “Of all those whose sins you have forgiven, God says that their sins are forgiven. And of all whose sins you have not forgiven, they are not forgiven.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “The people who repent of their sins, you have authority to tell them that they are blotted out. But the people who do not repent of their sins, you have authority to tell them that they are not blotted out.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “The ones whose sins you forgive, God will forgive them. If you do not forgive their sins, God will not forgive them.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “If you forgive people their sins, God will also forgive their sins. If you do not forgive, God will also not forgive.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of this when you forgive anyone who has sinned, God will also forgive him. And if you don’t forgive him, neither will God forgive him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “in order that whoever they are to whom you say that his sins are forgiven, God will already have-forgiven them. And whoever they are to whom you say that his sins are not forgiven, neither will God have-forgiven them.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Through his putting it in your minds, whoever you tell that their sins are forgiven, it’s certain they truly are forgiven. But those you tell that they have not been forgiven, it’s certain they indeed haven’t been forgiven.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “To whom you forgive sin is that one whom God has forgiven. To whom you do not forgive their sin are those whom God has not forgiven.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 9:20:
- Uma: “When I carry the Good News to Yahudi people, I behave like a Yahudi, so that many Yahudi people I can bring to Kristus. When I am with people who follow the customs of the Law of Musa, I also follow the customs of the Law of Musa. Actually, I am not bound by those customs, but I follow those customs while I am in the midst of those who follow them, so that many of them I can bring to Kristus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Therefore if I am together with the Yahudi I follow the Yahudi custom in order that I can persuade them to trust in Isa Almasi. And even though I do not have to follow the law of Musa, that which the Yahudi tribe follows, I simply follow (it) in order to persuade some of those following the law of Musa to trust in Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of this, when I am with Jewish people, my customs at that time are also Jewish, so that I might influence them and they might believe. And even though I’m not under the Law which was left behind by Moses for the Jews, I obey it just the same so that I might influence them and they might come to believe in Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “For-example, if I am teaching Jews and others who follow their law, I also follow their customs and their law so that I will persuade them to believe in Cristo, even though I know that I don’t have to follow that law of theirs.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “For when I’m with the Jews, my customs are those of the Jews so that I might-draw-them-to-myself/win-their-confidence. Even though I’m no longer under the jurisdiction of the laws of Moises, I do in fact go along with them as long as I am with those who are still submitting to these laws, so that, just like I said, I might-draw-them-to-myself/win-their-confidence.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “When I live where there are Jews, I do like the Jews do in order that perhaps I win their hearts over to believing in Christ. Like those do who do what is said in the law Moses wrote, also I do. Even though I am not forced to do what is said in the law, yet I do it so perhaps to win the people’s hearts over to believing in Christ.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 27:37:
- Uma: “On his cross tree above his head they fastened a board [papan]. On that board was written what Yesus was accused of, like this its sound: THIS IS YESUS KING OF THE YAHUDI” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Above Isa’s head there was his accusation written, it said, ‘This is Isa the king of the Yahudi.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And above his head they fastened a writing which was their accusation of him, which said,’This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “There was something-written that they fastened above-Jesus’ -head which said what he was accused of. It said, ‘This is Jesus the King of the Jews.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “There was what they attached above his head on which was written the charge against him, saying, ‘This is Jesus who is the King of the Judio.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “At the top part of the cross on which Jesus was, there was attached a sign on which was written the accusation. This sign said: ‘This man here is Jesus, the king of the Jews,’ said the sign.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 21:24:
- Uma: “That disciple is the one who saw all that happened, and who says his testimony. He is the one who writes this letter. And we (incl.) know the truth of his words.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “The disciple of Isa whom this was said of, he is the one telling about these happenings and he is also the one who has written all this. And we (excl.) know that what he says is true.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I am that disciple he was talking about. I am the one who testifies that all of this is true. I am the one who wrote all of this, and we (excl.) know that what I write is true.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “I am the very disciple that Jesus was talking-about there. I confirm/verify that what is written here is true, because I am the very one who wrote-it, and we (excl.) know that everything that is here is true.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Well, this same disciple who was following after Jesus and Pedro, he is testifying to all of this concerning Jesus. He also is the one who wrote these things. We(excl.) really know that this which he is testifying is true.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “This one is the learner who testifies to the truth of this word and wrote here on this paper what he said. And we know that what he says is true.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 10:25:
- Uma: “Whatever is sold in the market, we can buy and eat. We don’t have to ask first whether it was offered to idols or not. We can eat it without uncertain hearts,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “You can eat any meat that is sold in the market. But do not ask if it had been given to the statues of idols so that you eat without hindrance,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “So it’s allowable for us to eat any meat which is sold in the market, but we must not ask if it has been offered as a sacrifice or whether it has not, so that we will not feel guilty if we eat it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Therefore you may eat-for-viand whatever meat they are selling in the market without asking whether it was offered to idols or not,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Therefore, eat whatever you can buy at the meat vendors. Don’t bother your mind/inner-being or ask whether or not it was used in worshipping pretend gods.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Concerning the meat which people sell at the market, go ahead and eat it. Do not be afraid to eat meat which has been sacrificed to idols. Don’t ask questions about it.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 28:3:
- Uma: “His appearance was bright [lit., squint-causing] like lightning, and his clothes were very white.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “His appearance was bright like a flash of lightning and his clothes were very white.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And his appearance was blinding because he was so bright, and his clothing also was very white.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “His appearance, it was-flashing like lightning and his clothes moreover, they were very-white like frost.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “His face dazzled like lightning. His clothes were extremely white like just broken waves.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “This angel shone like when lightening shone. His clothing was very white.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 2:5:
- Uma: “At that time also, there were in Yerusalem many Yahudi from towns all over the world. Those people were all ones who submitted to Lord God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “At that time there were in Awrusalam Yahudi from the-many-countries in the world. They were very religious people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And there were Jews there in Jerusalem who had come from every country here on top of the earth, and they were faithful in carrying out the commands of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “There were Jews who were serving God who were staying in Jerusalem. They were from all the nations in this world.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Well, at that time, there were in Jerusalem Jews who came from many different lands here under the heavens. As for those people, they were indeed devout-worshippers of God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)