with all heart

The Greek and Hebrew that is usually translated with “with all (one’s) heart” in English is translated in Newari as “from (one’s) inmost heart” (source: Newari Back Translation)

with all your heart

The Hebrew in 1 Samuel 7:3 that is translated as “with all your heart” in many English versions is translated into Anuak as “with all your liver.”

See Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling.”

Philistines

The term that is transliterated as “Philistines” in English means “(from) the land of wanderers,” “(from the) land of strangers” (same as “Palestinian”). (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

It is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that signifies the helmet the Philistine warriors wore was decorated with feather-like objects. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Philistines” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Philistines (source: Bible Lands 2012)

serve

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “serve,” “minister,” “walk with,” or “service” is translated in Igede as myị ẹrụ or “agree with message (of the one you’re serving).” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In Quetzaltepec Mixe, “serve” is translated as “obey.” (Source: Robert Bascom)

Samuel

The name that is transliterated as “Samuel” in English means “heard of God,” “asked of God,” “offering of God,” “appointed by God.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

It is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “listen” referring to 1 Samuel 3:10. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Samuel” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Samuel .

complete verse (1 Samuel 7:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 7:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “But, Samuel told all those Israelites that, ‘If you are really returning back to God with one stomach (sincere heart), you need to abandon those gods/idols you worship right from the one called Ashtoreth. After that, then worship God, that is when he will rescue you from the Philistines.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then Samuel spoke like this to all the tribes of Israel, "If, from your inner heart, you will return to the LORD, remove the god Ashtaroth and the other gods from your midst [and] throw [them] away. Then return to the LORD with all your mind and heart and serve Him. Right then He will separate you from the hand of the Philistines."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Samuel said to them, ‘If your (plur.) returning to the LORD (is) really sincere, [you (plur.)] throw-away your (plur.) little-gods/false-gods including the image of Ashtoret, and [you (plur.)] commit/give-over your (plur.) life to the LORD, and [you (plur.)] serve him only. If you (plur.) do this he will-save you (plur.) from the hands of the Filistinhon.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then Samuel said to all the Israeli people, ‘If you truly want to act like Yahweh’s people should, you must get rid of your statues of the goddess Astarte and the idols/statues of all the other foreign gods. You must decide to serve/worship only Yahweh. If you do that, he will rescue you from the power of the Philistia people.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Japanese benefactives (sukuidashite)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, sukuidashite (救い出して) or “save/rescue” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )