Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Lamentations 3:66)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Lamentations 3:66:

  • Kupsabiny: “Pursue them in your anger
    and destroy them all completely!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Pursue them in your anger
    and destroy them from under the heavens of the LORD.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Pursue them and destroy [them] in your (sing.) anger so-that they will-disappear from the earth.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Because you are angry with them, pursue them and get rid of them,
    until none of them remain on the earth.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Lamentations 4:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Lamentations 4:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “How the men of Jerusalem have become grey/pale
    like gold that has become brown/dirty!
    The young men have been scattered
    like how the stones of the House of God were scattered.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Gold no longer shines. Even the finest gold has become dull.
    The precious stones from the sanctuary lie scattered at the chowks [public places].” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The residents of Zion are as-if like pure gold that had-faded or expensive stones that scattered in the streets. They were like precious gold before, but now they are-considered as-if-like pots that were just made by the potters.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Previously our people were like pure gold,
    but now they are worthless.
    Like the sacred stones in the temple have been scattered,
    our young men have been scattered.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Lamentations 4:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Lamentations 4:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “The young men of Jerusalem were amazing in former times
    and they were like gold that was heavy
    but now they are looked upon
    as if they are just potsherds!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The sons of Zion who were as precious as gold,
    have now become as clay dishes, works of the potter’s hand.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The residents of Zion are as-if like pure gold that had-faded or expensive stones that scattered in the streets. They were like precious gold before, but now they are-considered as-if-like pots that were just made by the potters.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The young men of Jerusalem were as valuable as large amounts of gold,
    but now people consider that they are as worthless as ordinary clay pots.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Lamentations 4:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Lamentations 4:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “Even a jackal gets up
    and stands still for its children to suckle.
    Hey, what has happened to my people
    such monsters when it comes to their children?” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Even the mother of jackals takes out
    her breast and feeds her young,
    but my own people became cruel
    like the wild ostrich.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Even the wild dogs nurse their young-ones, but my people on-the-other-hand abandon their children like the ostriches in the desert.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Even the female jackals/wolves feed their pups,
    but my people act cruelly toward their children;
    they are like ostriches in the desert that abandon their eggs.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Lamentations 4:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Lamentations 4:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “The mouths of the children freeze/dry up
    because of the thirst they have,
    the eyes beg for food,
    and there is no one who gives (them).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Babies’ tongues stick to the roof of their mouths for thirst.
    The children ask for bread and water,
    but no one gives them anything.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Because of thirst the tongue of their infants stick to roofs-of- their -mouth. The children ask for food, but no one at-all give them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “My people’s infants’ tongues cling to the roofs/tops of their mouths
    because they are extremely thirsty;
    the children plead for some food,
    but no one gives them any.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Lamentations 4:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Lamentations 4:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “People are dying on the road
    those who used to eat good food.
    Now they are begging where rubbish is thrown,
    people who were enjoying life before.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “People who used to eat delicious
    food, are now starving on the roads.
    Those who grew up wearing expensive clothes,
    are now searching through the garbage dumps.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The people who eat yummy/delicious food before, are now just asking for food from the people in the street. Those who grew up rich, are now just looking-with/(lit. rummaging through garbage) for food in the trash.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “People who previously ate fine food
    are now starving in the streets;
    those who previously lived luxuriously
    now paw/dig through rubbish heaps to find some food.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Lamentations 4:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Lamentations 4:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “The pain my people have received
    is bigger than what Sodom received
    that city which God suddenly attacked
    which he destroyed and no one came to their aid.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The guilt of my people is greater than
    the guilt of Sodom.
    Sodom which was overthrown in a moment
    and no hand was raised against her.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The punishment of my fellowmen is greater than that of Sodom, which was suddenly destroyed by God where no one at-all helped them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The people of Sodom were struck with a disaster very suddenly,
    and there was no one to rescue them;
    but my people have been punished
    more severely than the people of Sodom were punished.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Lamentations 4:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Lamentations 4:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “Those young leaders/rich men were very pure
    their faces shone brightly towards people.
    They were brown like (a maroon tree)
    and amazingly beautiful.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Their princes were purer
    than snow and whiter than milk.
    Their bodies were redder than rubies,
    and their appearance beautiful like sapphire.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “In time-past, the leaders of Jerusalem have healthy and strong bodies. Their whiteness was shining-brightly like snow or milk. Their skin was reddish like expensive stones.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Our leaders’ behavior was previously very pure,
    whiter and brighter than snow and milk;
    their bodies were redder than red coral/stones;
    they were very strong and healthy.” (Source: Translation for Translators)