The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “firstborn” in English is translated in a number of ways:
“he/she that opens the gown” in Batak Toba (because formerly a woman stopped wearing a gown and started using a bodice after the birth of her first child)
“he/she that damages the stalk (i.e. the body)” in Uab Meto (source for this and above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
“oldest child” in Isthmus Zapotec (source for this and one above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
“firstborn child, who was a boy” in Elhomwe (to make clear, without ambiguity, that Mary did not have daughters before) (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
In Bawm Chin, the term can imply the existence of younger siblings, so a translation is needed that brings out the fact that Jesus is superior to all else, not just the first of a series. (Source: David Clark)
The Hebrew in 2 Samuel 3:2 that is translated as “(sons) were born to David” or similar in English is translated in Vidunda as “(sons) were born to David’s wives,” to make it sound more natural. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 3:2:
Kupsabiny: “When David was living in Hebron, his wife produced/bore for him six boys. Ahinoam from Jezreel produced Amnon.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “These are the sons born to David in Hebron — The eldest son was Amnon, his mother was Ahinoam of Jezreel.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “These were the male children of David who were-born at Hebron: the first-born was Amnon his child with Ahinoam who comes-from-Jezreel.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
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