creeping things / reptiles

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated in English as “reptiles” or “creeping things” or similar is translated as “those which crawl along upon their stomach” in San Mateo del Mar Huave, “those that crawl the way they travel” in Chichimeca-Jonaz, and “animals that crawl on the ground” in Lalana Chinantec. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

In Nyamwezi it is translated as as vitundwa vya ku’yu’mba or “creatures that move.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See also every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature and four-footed creatures and reptiles.

 

The Hebrew words zachal and remes literally mean “creeping [things]” or “crawling [things]”, which is the Hebrew way of referring to small unclean creatures, reptiles in particular. The Greek word herpeton is also a general word for reptile; it includes snakes and lizards. All of the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin words usually exclude fish.

The Hebrew words carry the connotation of uncleanness.

In languages which have a word meaning “reptile”, this will fit most contexts. In languages which do not, phrases such as “snakes and lizards”, “wriggling things”, and so forth could be used.

Source: All Creatures Great and Small: Living things in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators)

complete verse (Psalm 104:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 104:25:

  • Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
    “There is a big and wide lake,
    filled with countless creatures,
    your great and small living (things) as well.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Newari:
    “For innumerable animals to live, both large and small,
    the ocean is large
    and reaches farther than the eye can see.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:
    “The sea (is) very/extremely vast/wide,
    and this has many creatures that can- not -be-counted, big and small.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Laarim:
    “The sea is much big completely,
    the sea is full of living things,
    which be both small and big.” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
  • Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
    “Ipo bahari, kubwa tena pana,
    humo vimejaa viumbe ambavyo huwezi kuvihesabu,
    viumbe hai, vikubwa na vidogo.” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
  • English:
    “We see the ocean which is very large! It is full of many kinds of living creatures, big ones and little ones.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)