Language-specific Insights

put on the armor of light

The Greek in Romans 13:12 that is translated as “put on the armor of light” or similar in English is translated as “do what we ought to do because God’s light had entered into our head-hearts” in Yatzachi Zapotec, as “walk in God’s light in order for him to take care of us” in Sayula Popoluca, as “let us have our manner of life towards God which is a new manner of life that we have. That way we will be guarding ourselves from evil” in Miahuatlán Zapotec, and as “do that which is good like that which is done in the light. Be like soldiers who are prepared to fight for what is right” in North Alaskan Inupiatun. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

hanged

The Hebrew in Esther 9:13 that is translated in English as “(let the 10 sons) . . . be hanged” is translated in North Alaskan Inupiatun in such a manner that it’s clear that the bodies which will be hanged, as the men are already dead (see Esther 9:10 and 12).

harem

The Hebrew that is translated as “harem” in English is translated in North Alaskan Inupiatun as relating to a group of women rather than a place (source: Robert Bascom), whereas in Kwere it is translated as “the house of the women/wives of the king.” (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

reconcile, reconciliation

The Greek terms that are translated as “reconcile” and “reconciliation” in English are translated in various ways. Nida (1952, pp. 140) says this:

“The North Alaskan Inupiatun describe reconciliation in the simple terms of ‘making friends again.’ That is to say, ‘God was in Christ making friends again with the world.’ The Uduk in the Sudan express this same truth, but in the rather interesting phrase ‘meet, snapping fingers together again.’ This expression is derived from the Uduk’s practice of snapping fingers together when they meet each other. Instead of shaking hands, they extend their thumbs and middle fingers and snap fingers together, but only friends will do this. Men who have something against each other refuse to acknowledge each other in this way. And so it is that the natural man is an enemy of God; he refuses to snap fingers with God, but God has come to reconcile man to Himself and through Jesus Christ has brought man into fellowship with Himself. Man and God may now meet ‘to snap fingers together again.’

“The Tai Dam of Indo-China employ quite a different figure of speech. They say that reconciliation consists in ‘rubbing off the corners.’ This does not refer to social acceptability, but to rubbing off the corners so that two objects, meant for each other, will fit together. Man is regarded as being incapable of fitting into the plan and fellowship of God because of the sin which has deformed him and which stands out as an ugly growth on his personality. The corners of iniquity must be rubbed off so that man may be reconciled to God and made to fit into God’s eternal plan for the world.”

Other translations include:

  • “our hearts become good toward him” in Tzeltal
  • “he makes us his friends again” in Huehuetla Tepehua
  • “we are brought close to him” in Highland Totonac
  • “he is no longer angry with us” in Sayula Popoluca
  • “being put in a state of well-being with God” in Yatzachi Zapotec
  • “opposition to God was healed” in Chol (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • “man has-a-good-relationship/is-in-harmony-again with God” in Muna (source: René van den Berg)
  • “have become friends of God” in Western Bukidnon Manobo (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • “brought together with God” in Tenango Otomi (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • “receive Deo’s action of peace which came to us” in Bariai (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • “be at peace with Great Above One” in Mairasi (source: Enggavoter 2004)