complete verse (Leviticus 13:58)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 13:58:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But if he has washed/beaten the cloth and/or washed the skin and the mold disappears, he must wash it again, and after that the cloth or skin is clean.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But if the mold does not come after the item has been washed, whether woven or sewn, it must be washed again and it will be clean.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If the mildew is-gone after the cloth or leather was-washed, this is-to-be-washed again and this will- now -become clean.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But after the clothing is washed and the mildew disappears, it must be washed again, and then it can be worn again.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Leviticus 13:58

Warp or woof: yet another repetition that may be considered unnatural and unnecessary. It may be left implicit.

From which the disease departs: New Jerusalem Bible restructures the first part of this verse slightly and begins “If, however, the affection disappears….” This may serve as a good model for other languages.

When you have washed it: Good News Translation again takes the second person singular pronoun to refer to the owner of the object. But here the pronoun “he” is substituted.

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 .