complete verse (Leviticus 18:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 18:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “Do not sleep with the wife of your father’s brother because then you have upset/overturned your father.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “’ Do not have intercourse with your father’s elder and younger brother’s wife. Do not have cause your father’s elder and younger brothers to feel shame. She is your father’s elder brother’s wife and your father’s younger brother’s wife. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Do- not -shame the male sibling/(brother) of your (sing.) father by -having-sexual-intercourse with his wife, for she (is) also your (sing.) aunt.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘Do not disgrace your uncle/father’s brother by having sex with his wife, because she is your aunt.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Leviticus 18:14

In this verse the expression “to uncover the nakedness of” indicates “to disgrace,” and the verb “to approach” is a polite way of saying “to have sexual intercourse with” (see Gen 20.4; Deut 22.14; Isa 8.3; Ezek 18.6). The whole verse may be translated “Do not disgrace your uncle by having intercourse with his wife. Remember that she is (also) your aunt.” Of course some languages, like Hebrew, have completely separate terms for “paternal aunt” and “maternal aunt.” This is clearly the “paternal aunt.”

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 .