sell

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “sell” in English is translated in Noongar as wort-bangal or “away-barter.” Note that “buy” is translated as bangal-barranga or “get-barter.” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)

See also buy and buying / selling.

complete verse (Leviticus 25:34)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 25:34:

  • Kupsabiny: “Where they graze animals in the cities of the Levites can never be sold because that place is theirs forever.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The grass pastureland outside their cities, however, is not to be sold. For that is their family property for all time.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The pastureland near/close-to their cities must not be-sold, for that (is) their property forever/[lit. until whenever].” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But the pastureland near their towns must not be sold. It must belong to the original owners permanently/forever.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Leviticus 25:34

The fields of common land belonging to their cities: this whole expression more than likely refers to the unenclosed pasture land surrounding the cities of the Levites.

Be sold: this passive will have to be translated actively in many languages. And this will require a restructuring of the verse. A possible model may be “No one can ever sell the pasture land…,” or “The Levites may never sell…,” or “No one may buy … from the Levites.”

It is their perpetual possession: that is, they do not have the right to sell this land even for a limited period of time. This may be expressed as “it must always belong to them,” or “it must remain permanently in the hands of the Levites,” or “it must always belong to the priestly family.” This is in contrast with their houses, which could be temporarily sold to persons outside the priestly class.

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 .