complete verse (Leviticus 18:18)

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

  • Kupsabiny: “Do not take your sister-in-law as a second wife in addition to her sister while that one is still alive.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “’As long as your wife is still living [lit.: has not died], Do not take [lit.: bring] her elder sister or her younger sister as a second wife and have intercourse. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “[You (sing.)] do- not -marry/[lit. be-wived-to] the female sibling of your (sing.) wife while your (sing.) wife (is) still alive.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘While your wife is still living, do not marry your wife’s sister and have sex with her.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Leviticus 18:18

Take: see verse 17. But the context here seems to indicate clearly that this refers to marriage and not simply the act of sexual intercourse.

A rival wife: while it was acceptable among the Israelites to have more than one wife, the relationship between the women had to be considered. They must not be sisters. In Hebrew, as in some other languages in the world today, for obvious reasons the word for cowife was the equivalent of rival (see, for example, 1 Sam 1.6).

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 .