medium

The Hebrew that is translated as “medium” in English is translated in Basa as “the people of the grave” (source: Rob Koops) and in Newari as “a person who knowingly becomes possessed” (source: Newari Back-Translation).

spiritualist

The Hebrew that is translated as “spiritualist” (or: spiritist”) or similar in English is translated in Newari as “one who does the work of a Jhākri ” (source: Newari Back-Translation).

prostitute oneself / play the prostitute

The Hebrew that is translated as “prostitute oneself” or “play the prostitute” in English is translated in Vidunda as “(practice) sexual immorality.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Leviticus 20:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 20:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “I shall turn my back on anyone who turns to the words/matters of ancestral spirits and sorceress. A person like that shall be chased away from their people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “’If anyone takes advice from a person who does incantation and chanting, I will reject him/her because he has committed prostitution against me. I will drive him out from among his own people. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I will- also -go-against the person who take-refuge/turns-to/goes-for-advice and follows spiritists/mediums who talk-together with the soul(s) of a dead-(person). I will- not -consider them a member of you (plur.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘ will reject those who go to those who consult/talk with the spirits of dead people and fortune-tellers to seek advice from them. I will command that they no longer be allowed to associate with my people.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Leviticus 20:6

Turns to: that is, enters into contact with, consults, or relies on for the purpose of contacting the dead. New English Bible translates “wantonly resorts to….”

Mediums and wizards: see 19.31.

Playing the harlot: see verse 5 and 17.7.

Set my face against …: see verses 3, 5, and 17.10.

Cut him off …: see verse 3 and 7.20.

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 .