In Aekyom, years are counted as “turtles” (ambum).
Norm Mundhenk tells this story:
“Recently I was checking some New Testament material in the Aekyom language of western Papua New Guinea. It seemed relatively clear until suddenly we came to a passage that started, ‘When Jesus had 12 turtles, …’ Surely I had misunderstood what they said.
“‘Did you say that Jesus had 12 turtles?’
“‘Let us explain! Around here there is a certain time every year when river turtles come up on the banks and lay their eggs. Because this is so regular, it can be used as a way of counting years. Someone’s age is said to be how many turtles that person has. So when we say that Jesus had 12 turtles, we mean that Jesus was 12 years old.’
“It was of course the familiar story of Jesus’ trip with his parents to Jerusalem. And certainly, as we all know, Jesus did indeed have 12 turtles at that time!”
In Tok Pisin, krismas (derived from “christmas”) is taken as the fixed annual marker, so Jesus had 12 “christmases” (Jisas i gat 12-pela krismas pinis) or Abram (in Gen. 12:4) had 75 (Abram i gat 75 krismas) (source: Norm Mundhenk). In Noongar it is biroka kadak or “summers had” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
The name that is transliterated as “Adam” in English means “earthy or red earth,” “of the ground,” “taken out of the red earth.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 5:3:
Kankanaey: “When Adan yeared 130, a child of his that was just-like-him was-born (lit. came-out), and he named him Set.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Newari: “When Adam was 130 years old a son was born who was just like Adam. He named him Seth.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “When Adan was 130 years of age, his child who looked-like/resembled him was-born. He named him Set.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “When Adam was 130 years old, he became the father of a son who grew up to be just like him. That was the son he named Seth.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
With verse 3, and continuing through verse 5, the repetitive pattern of the generation report begins. After the translator has established the pattern for translating verses 3-5, that pattern should be followed for the remainder of chapter 5.
When Adam had lived a hundred and thirty years is a subordinate time clause stating Adam’s age at the time of Seth’s birth. In some languages this information must follow the main verb. Revised Standard Version translates this clause literally, but in English “When Adam was 130 years old” (Good News Translation) is more natural. We may also say, for example, “At the age of 130” or “Adam was 130 years old when….”
Became the father of translates the Hebrew verb meaning “to bear offspring, to have a child.” See 4.18 for comments.
In his own likeness: likeness translates the same word used in verse 1 meaning resemblance, similarity. It refers to being of the same pattern, shape, form. After his image translates the same word used in 1.26. See there for comments. The combination of the two terms likeness and image strengthens the degree of resemblance, and so Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has “who was like him in everything,” and Bible en français courant “who resembled him completely.”
And named him Seth is the conclusion of the birth part of the report. In 4.25 it is Adam’s wife who gave Seth his name.
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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