firstborn

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)
  • “the oldest son of all” in Mezquital Otomi
  • “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)

See also only begotten son / (one and) only son and firstborn.

complete verse (Acts 23:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 23:5:

  • Uma: “Paulus answered: ‘I didn’t know that he was the Big Priest. Yet there is indeed something written in the Holy Book that says: ‘Don’t speak harshly of the leader(s) of our village.’ ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Paul answered, he said, ‘My brothers, I did not know that he is the leader priest. I know that it is written hep in the holy-book saying, ‘Do not speak evil of your leader.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Paul answered, ‘I did not know that he was the high sacrificer because I know that the written word of God says that you should not insult the one who leads you.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Pablo said then in reply, ‘Brothers, had I known that he was the highest priest, I wouldn’t have shamed him, because there is admittedly something written in the word of God that says, ‘Do not (sing.) speak-evil-of the leader of your town/country.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Pablo replied, ‘Brethren, I didn’t know that he is apparently the Most-important Priest. If I had known, why would I have spoken like that since it is indeed contained in the writing, ‘Do not speak harshly to the one in authority who is ruling over you’?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “Paul said: ‘My brothers, it is written in God’s word: ‘Don’t speak angrily against the leader of your home town.’ But it didn’t enter my head that that man is the high priest.'” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

For the Old Testament quotes, see Exodus 22:28.

complete verse (Exodus 22:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 22:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “Don’t talk ill of God or curse the any leader of your people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘[You (plur.)] do- not -blaspheme God and [you (plur.)] do- not -curse your (plur.) leader.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “‘You (pl.) can’t/mustn’t talk badly about your leader(s). And don’t talk badly about God either.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “Do not (imp.) God insult, and not (imp.) chief of people your curse.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Do not revile/speak evil about me, and do not curse/ask me to do harmful things to any ruler of your people.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 22:28

Two different words for “curse” are used in this verse. You shall not revile God is literally “ʾelohim you [singular] shall not curse,” but most translations use a milder term than “curse.” Good News Translation‘s footnote calls attention to the other possible meaning of ʾelohim, but this is generally not accepted for this verse. The same word for revile is used in 21.17 (see the comment there), where it is translated as “curse” in relation to one’s parents. However, here it suggests the idea of humiliating someone. So Good News Translation has “Do not speak evil of God,” and Durham has “You are not to show disrespect for God.” One may also say “Do not speak disrespectfully about God.”

The word used in the second clause, nor curse a ruler, is a stronger term, meaning to inflict with a curse in order to destroy or exclude a person from the community. This word is never used with God as the object. The word for ruler refers to a minor king, a “chief” (Revised English Bible), or a “leader” (Good News Translation). There could be more than one “leader,” so Translator’s Old Testament has “you shall not curse any of your leaders.” A ruler of your people refers, of course, to a leader of the Israelites. Revised English Bible has “of your own people.” (Your is singular.) In some languages it will be possible to find terms that show the difference between these two Hebrew terms: (1) revile, or “speak disrespectfully about,” and (2) curse, or “pray for evil against.” If this difference in meaning cannot be maintained in a receptor language, then one may express the verse as “Don’t say evil words against God or one of the leaders of your people” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .