The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “widow” in English is translated in West Kewa as ona wasa or “woman shadow.” (Source: Karl J. Franklin in Notes on Translation 70/1978, pp. 13ff.)
The etymological meaning of the Hebrewalmanah (אַלְמָנָה) is likely “pain, ache,” the Greekchéra (χήρα) is likely “to leave behind,” “abandon,” and the Englishwidow (as well as related terms in languages such as Dutch, German, Sanskrit, Welsh, or Persian) is “to separate,” “divide” (source: Wiktionary).
The now commonly-used German idiom sein Scherflein beitragen (literally “to contribute ones part of a mite”), which today is used with the meaning “to contribute ones share,” originates in the 1522 German New Testament translation by Martin Luther. A Scherflein was the smallest possible coin value which n medieval Germany was created by physically cutting the smallest coin into pieces. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 107)
Likewise in Russian, the phrase внести свою лепту (vnesti svoyu leptu) or “contribute one’s mite” is widely used as an idiom, despite the archaic word for “mite. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 106ff.)
For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 21:2:
Noongar: “Jesus also saw a poor widow putting two little brown coins in the box.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “He also saw a widow whose life was pitiful putting in two bronze/brass coins/money.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “There he also saw a poor widow woman who dropped two centavos (lit. two red money; the centavo pieces used to be copper coins).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “and Jesus saw also a widow-woman who was very poor, and the only thing she dropped in were two cents.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “He also saw a poor widow insert (as through a slot) two five-centavos.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “He also saw a poor woman who was a widow, who dropped just a few centavos.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
eiden de tina chēran penichran ‘he saw (also) a needy widow.’ ‘Also’ is expressed not by a specific word but by the repetition of eiden after v. 1.
penichros ‘poor,’ ‘needy,’ a not very common word and hence somewhat stronger than ptōchē (v. 3).
ballousan ekei lepta duo ‘dropping there two small coins.’
Translation:
Poor, or, “very poor” (Good News Translation), “poverty-stricken” (The Four Gospels – a New Translation).
Widow, see on 2.37. Put in, or, ‘put into it, or, into the (offering) box.’
Copper coin should preferably be rendered by the name of the smallest coin known in the culture, and distinguished from “penny” (12.6). Where no distinctive names are available one may say, “tiny coin” (New English Bible), ‘smallest coin,’ ‘piece of cheapest kind of money.’
Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.
and He saw a poor widow: This clause introduces a woman who contrasts with the rich people in 21:1. She was poor and also a widow. In that culture, widows often did not have enough money to live on, but she was bringing an offering to God. Introduce her in a natural way in your language. For example:
Then he saw a poor woman. She was a widow. -or-
Then he noticed a poor widow coming to give an offering.
poor: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as poor here refers to someone who is in need of basic necessities. The widow’s need is also clear from 21:4. Most English versions translate the word as poor or “very poor.”
widow: The word widow or “widows” also occurred in 18:3 and 20:47. See how you translated it there.
two small copper coins: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as small copper coins refers to the smallest coin that people used at that time. Some ways to translate it are:
• Use the name of the least valuable coin known in your culture. For example:
two pennies (Contemporary English Version)
• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:
two small/tiny coins -or-
two coins which had very little/low value
• Use a general term that refers to a very small amount of money. For example:
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