complete verse (Leviticus 11:41)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 11:41:

  • Kupsabiny: “All animals that crawl on the ground are unclean. They must not be eaten.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “It is not OK to eat the flesh of any of the animals that go crawling on the ground are detestable.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You (plur.) are- not -to-eat any of the animals that crawl for this is detestable/extremely-awful: whatever crawls by-means-of their belly or four legs or many legs.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘All creatures that scurry across the ground, including those that move on their bellies and those that crawl, are detestable, and they must not be eaten.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Leviticus 11:41

Every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth: this includes snakes and centipedes as well as small four-footed animals like rats, mice, and moles (compare verse 29). This prohibition comes last, perhaps because there was little likelihood that people would be tempted to eat such animals. But in order to make the regulations complete, it was seen as necessary. Greater detail is provided in the following verse.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .