The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Sarai” and “Sarah” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign depicting coins on a headband, referring to women from the Middle East and North Africa who wear a headband decorated with small coins. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 2:17:
Kankanaey: “except the one tree from-which-you (sing.) would-come-to-know the good and bad, because on the day when- you (sing.) -eat from it, certainly you (sing.) will-be-condemned to die and you (sing.) will also be-separated from me.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Newari: “It is not all right, however, to eat even a little of the fruit of the tree that gives the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat, you will die that very day.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “except only the fruit of the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and bad/evil. For/Because the moment you eat it, very surely you will-die.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “But Yahweh said to him, ‘You must not eat the fruit of the tree that will enable you to know what actions are good to do and what actions are evil to do. If you eat any fruit from that tree, on that day your relationship with me will end. But I will permit you to eat the fruit of any of the other trees in the park/garden.'” (Source: Translation for Translators)
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: but translates the common Hebrew linking term, which here leads to an exception to the permission to eat given in verse 16. For the full expression see verse 9.
You shall not eat: this may also be rendered “you must not….” Some languages may make use of the idea of taboo here; for example, “There is only one tree which it is taboo for you to eat its fruit….”
For in the day that you eat of it is literally “for on the day [of] your eating from it”; that is, “the very day you eat from it,” or “straight away.”
You shall die is the same Hebrew double verb construction as is translated “freely eat” in verse 16, and here the meaning is “you will certainly die,” “you will die for sure.” The emphatic statement may also be translated “you will die on the day you eat it.”
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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