In Aekyom, years are counted as “turtles” (ambum).
Norm Mundhenk tells this story:
“Recently I was checking some New Testament material in the Aekyom language of western Papua New Guinea. It seemed relatively clear until suddenly we came to a passage that started, ‘When Jesus had 12 turtles, …’ Surely I had misunderstood what they said.
“‘Did you say that Jesus had 12 turtles?’
“‘Let us explain! Around here there is a certain time every year when river turtles come up on the banks and lay their eggs. Because this is so regular, it can be used as a way of counting years. Someone’s age is said to be how many turtles that person has. So when we say that Jesus had 12 turtles, we mean that Jesus was 12 years old.’
“It was of course the familiar story of Jesus’ trip with his parents to Jerusalem. And certainly, as we all know, Jesus did indeed have 12 turtles at that time!”
In Tok Pisin, krismas (derived from “christmas”) is taken as the fixed annual marker, so Jesus had 12 “christmases” (Jisas i gat 12-pela krismas pinis) or Abram (in Gen. 12:4) had 75 (Abram i gat 75 krismas) (source: Norm Mundhenk). In Noongar it is biroka kadak or “summers had” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
The name that is transliterated as “Uzziah” in English is translated in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) with a sign that refers to Uzziah contracting a rare forehead disease until he died as a result of him wrongly wanting to make an offering in the temple (see 2 Chronicles 26:16, 26:19, and 26:21). (Source: Missão Kophós )
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 26:3:
Kupsabiny: “Uzziah ruled from the city of Jerusalem for fifty-two years. His mother was called Jecoliah who was from Jerusalem.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem 52 years. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Uzia was 16 years old when he became king. He lived in Jerusalem, and he reigned within the (period) of 52 years. His mother was Jecolia who of/from-Jerusalem.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Uzziah ruled in Jerusalem for 52 years. His mother was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Uzziah was sixteen years old …: The usual formula for introducing a king is used in this verse, stating the age of Uzziah at the beginning of his reign (sixteen years old), the length of his reign (fifty-two years), the location of his capital (Jerusalem), and his mother’s name (Jecoliah) and her place of origin (Jerusalem). See the comments on 2 Chr 13.2. In order to avoid repeating the name of the city of Jerusalem as the Hebrew text does, Contemporary English Version states that Uzziah ruled “from Jerusalem, the hometown of his mother Jecoliah.”
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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