complete verse (Leviticus 14:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 14:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But on the seventh day, (s)he shall shave all the hair including that which is on the head, beard and eyebrows, and then (s)he shall wash her/his clothes and bathe. Then that person has become clean.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “On the seventh day he must again shave off his head, beard, eyebrows and all the hair on his body and he must wash his clothes and bathe himselfe with water. Then he will actually be clean.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “On the seventh day, he is-to-shave-completely/[lit. scrape-off] again all his head-hair and body-hair, he is-to-launder his clothes and bathe.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “On the seventh day, he must again shave off all his hair, including his beard and his eyebrows. Then he must again wash his clothes and bathe, and then he will be allowed to be with other people again.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Leviticus 14:9

This verse repeats and amplifies the same expressions used in the previous verse. See the comments on the above verse. The important thing here is to make it clear in the receptor language that these rituals are to be performed a second time after the passage of the seven days mentioned at the end of verse 8.

He shall be clean: this is the completion of the second stage in the ritual of purification (compare verse 7). One may translate “he shall be completely clean” or “his ritual cleansing shall be finished.”

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 .