The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is translated as “naked” in English is translated in Enlhet with a figure of speech: “(one’s) smoothness.” (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. )
In Elhomwe the word for “naked” is “shameful to use, and would never be used by a preacher in church.” Therefore “without clothes” is used. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
In Cherokee it is translated as “being in a bodily state.” (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 30)
In the Catholic Mandarin ChineseSigao version and the Protestant Union Version, historical Chinese idioms are used: chìshēn lòutǐ (赤身露體 / 赤身露体) or chìshēn luǒtǐ (赤身裸體 / 赤身裸体): “bare and uncovered body.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 3:7:
Kankanaey: “Right when they ate it, they understood what had happened to them, and they sensed that they were naked. They accordingly got some leaves of a fig (loan igos) tree and sewed (them) so-that that’s what they would use-for-covering their bodies.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Newari: “As soon as they ate that fruit, the eyes of both of them were opened. They became aware that they were naked. Then they stitched clothing of fig leaves and covered up their bodies.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Right-after they had-eaten, they were-able-to-understand what is good and evil, and they realized that they were-naked indeed/(surprise particle). So they joined-side-to-side the leaves of fig tree to cover their body.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Immediately it was as though their eyes were opened, and they realized that they were naked, so they were ashamed. So they picked some fig leaves and fastened them together to make clothes for themselves.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Two types of fig trees are mentioned in the Bible, the Common Fig Ficus carica (Hebrew te’enah) and the Sycomore Fig Ficus sycomorus (Hebrew shiqmah; see “Sycomore fig”). They are closely related. The common fig tree grows not only in Israel, but throughout the world in warm climates. In the Holy Land it was a common source of food; the fruit was eaten both fresh and dried. Sometimes the dried ones were pressed together to form flat “cakes” or blocks (Hebrew develah). But, just as important, the large leaves of the fig make it an excellent shade tree. However, the first use of the fig mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 3:7) was not for food or shade but for clothing; Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves for themselves to cover their nakedness.
The fig was probably domesticated in northwestern Turkey from a wild variety that grew there around 5000 years ago. Greek, Roman, and Egyptian records indicate that the fruits were popular. Figs are now grown especially in Israel, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and Portugal, as well as in the warm parts of the United States.
The fig is believed to be indigenous to western Asia and to have been distributed by humans and birds throughout the Mediterranean area. Remnants of figs have been found in excavations of sites traced to at least 5000 B.C.
The domesticated fig grows to about 5-8 meters (17-26 feet) and has a round crown and very deep and round roots. The trunk may grow to be more than 70 centimeters (2 feet) thick. Fig trees may grow to be several decades old, if they are well cared for. Figs are usually propagated by planting cuttings. The pollination of the flowers is an amazingly intricate process closely linked to the life cycle of a tiny wasp, and the fact that fig trees, like papayas and date palms, are male or female. (There are now some kinds of figs that produce fruit without pollination.) The fruits are about the size of a hen’s egg and can be green, yellow, purple, or brown depending on the type. They are sweet and soft and difficult to transport. For that reason most farmers dry the fruits before shipping them. The “fruit” of the fig is technically a strangely shaped flower. Noting the absence of a “real” flower, the ancient people of India called it a flowerless tree.
The common fig tree, along with the vine and the olive, is one of the three “top trees” for the Jews. The Bible refers to the fig over 270 times. The image of peace and happiness in Israel was “every man under his vine and under his fig tree” (1 Kings 4:25).
Wild figs are common throughout the tropical world; there are at least eight hundred species of Ficus, thirty-two in southern Africa alone. The banyan, peepul, and bo are all types of fig. The fruits of wild fig trees are not nearly as juicy or sweet as those of the domesticated ones. In many places people eat the fruit when they find it in the wild, but do not market it or cultivate the trees. Translators are urged to use the local word, and, if necessary, use a footnote to indicate the difference between the local one and the biblical one. Where it is not known at all, transliterations from a major language may be used in nonfigurative contexts.
Then the eyes of both were opened: although Then is the ordinary Hebrew connective, it marks an abrupt development in events and has the sense of “immediately, right away, just then.” Good News Translation makes the transition fuller, with “As soon as….” A number of translations use similar expressions, like “Straight away” and “At that moment.” For eyes … were opened see verse 5.
They knew that they were naked: knew translates the common Hebrew verb meaning know, but in this context the man and the woman acquire the knowledge instantly, and so some expression like “realized, found out, discovered” is more suitable. Naked is the same as in 2.25.
And they sewed fig leaves: sewed suggests fastening things together with needle and thread. In translation it may be more appropriate to use a more general term meaning to “fasten, attach, hook together.” The fig tree grows in abundance in the lands of the Bible and was well known to the narrator. Its leaves are large compared with its fruit. In languages in which the fig is unknown, it is customary to say, for example, “a tree called fig” or “fruit tree that produces a fruit called fig.” It is not always necessary to say that the leaves are from a fig tree. Since the fruit does not play a part in this verse, it may be possible to use the name of a local tree, particularly if the leaves are used for loincloths or are large enough to be so used. Another good possibility is to avoid naming the type of tree and just say “large leaves.”
Made themselves aprons: aprons translates a Hebrew word also used in Isa 3.24 and translated “belt” there by Good News Translation. It refers to something worn around the waist or hips. The word “apron” is not really a good translation in English, since an apron is a partial covering that is usually worn for a particular purpose or in particular situations, rather than being a general item of clothing. In some languages it is necessary to say “a man’s loincloth” and “a woman’s loincloth” since the words are different. The exact nature of these aprons is not known, and so it may be best to use a general term like “covering” or “put leaves together to cover their private parts.” One translation expresses the whole sentence as “So they-two sewed together fig leaves and put them on like a skirt to hide their bare skin.”
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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