bronze

The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “bronze” in English is translated in Newari as “bell-metal,” since bells are made of bronze in Nepal (source: Newari Back Translation).

See also bronze vessel.

complete verse (Deuteronomy 8:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 8:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “You shall go and find in that land much food where nothing is lacking. That land has metals and you shall dig out bronze/copper from the hills of that land.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “In that land there will be no shortage of grain. There you will not have a shortage of anything. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You (plur.) will- not -be-without food in that land and you (plur.) will- not -be-lacking of anything. You (plur.) can-get irons in its stones/rocks, and you (plur.) can-dig copper in the mountains.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “It is a land where there will be plenty of food for you, where you will not lack anything/have everything that you need , a land which has iron ore in its rocks and from which you can dig copper ore from its hills.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 8:9

Eat bread without scarcity: or “never go hungry” (Good News Translation). They will always have plenty of food to eat.

You will lack nothing: all their needs will be supplied.

Stones are iron: there will be plentiful iron ore in Canaan, and this may be expressed as “the rocks are full of iron ore.”

Dig copper: in English, at least, “to mine copper” is more natural (so New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .