Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Numbers 5:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 5:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “But if you have rebelled against your husband by a man sleeping with you, God will make you be cursed from/among your people. When you have drunk this ceremonial water, your stomach will swell and you will become barren.’ Then let the woman respond, ‘I agree/accept, let God do like that.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “This water having gone into your stomach, may your stomach start to swell and may your womb be caused to rot."
    "’Then that woman must say, "Amen, let it be so."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Hope/Wish/May that this water that brings/carries the curse will-enter into your (sing.) body so-that you (sing.) can- not -give-birth anymore.’ Then the woman will-say, ‘I agree.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Your womb will shrivel up and your stomach will swell up. You will never be able to give birth to children, and as a result, everyone will curse you and avoid you. If you have committed adultery, when you drink this water, that is what will happen to you.’ Then the woman must answer, ‘If I am guilty, I will not object if that happens.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Numbers 5:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 5:23:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, the priest shall write that curse on a skin and wash those writings into the water” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “’The priest must write this curse on a scroll and wipe it off into the bitter water. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘Then the priest will-write these curses on a thing-to-write-on and he will-wash these in the pot that has bitter water.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘Then the priest must write with ink on a small scroll these curses/bad things that will happen to her if she is guilty and then wash the ink off into the bitter water.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Numbers 5:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 5:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “so that when the woman drinks it the stomach will hurt.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then he must cause the woman to drink the bitter water that brings a curse. When the water enters her body, it will cause bitter suffering if she is guilty.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “(When [they] will-cause- the woman -to-drink the bitter water that brings/carries the curse, this will-cause her great suffering if she has sin/(if she is guilty.)” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The priest must take from her the offering of barley flour that she is holding, and lift it up to dedicate it to me. Then he must put it on the altar” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Numbers 5:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 5:25:

  • Kupsabiny: “The priest shall take the flour from the hands of the woman and raise it to me and bring it to the altar.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Taking the grain offering of barley flour from the hand of that woman, the priest must lift it before the LORD and offer it on the altar.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then the priest will-take-away from the hand of the woman the gift offering which was-offered by her husband because of his suspicion, and the priest will-raise- this -up in my presence and then bring (it) to the altar.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The priest must take from her the offering of barley flour that she is holding, and lift it up to dedicate it to me. Then he must put it on the altar” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Numbers 5:26)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 5:26:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then he takes a little from the/his hand and and burns it on the altar. Then he makes the woman drink the water.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The priest, taking a handful from the grain offering must burn it as a memory offering. After that he must give the woman water to drink.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The priest will-take a handful of this offering in-order to know whether the woman has-sinned or not, and then this will-be-burned in the altar. After-that, he will-cause- the woman -to-drink the water.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “and burn part of it as a sacrifice. Then the woman must drink the bitter water.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Numbers 5:27)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 5:27:

  • Kupsabiny: “If the woman has rebelled against her husband and slept with another man, that water which she has drunk shall make her stomach swell and (she) becomes barren. Later/then, her name is cursed among (the) people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If that woman did make herself unclean by betraying her husband, that water will torture her severely. Her stomach will swell and her womb will rot. Among the people her name will be a curse.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If (it is) true that she-made- herself -dirty by betraying her husband, the water that she drunk that brings/carries the curses will-cause- her -to-suffer very severely. She can- not -give-birth and she will-become an example to the people of the curse of God.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “If the woman has committed adultery, the water will cause her to suffer greatly. Her stomach will swell up and her womb will shrink, and she will be unable to give birth to children. And then her relatives/fellow Israelis will curse her.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Numbers 5:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 5:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “But if she is innocent and righteous that oath shall not take hold of (her) and she shall get children.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But if that woman had not become unclean, and if [she] is clean, she will be cleared of guilt, and She will be able to give birth to children.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But if she did- not -make- herself -dirty, she will- not -be-harmed/affected, and she can-give-birth.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But if she is innocent/has not committed adultery, her body will not be harmed, and she will still be able to give birth to children.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Numbers 5:29)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 5:29:

  • Kupsabiny: “This is a law that is to be followed if a woman has rebelled against her husband by another man sleeping with her, or if the husband thinks bad about his wife. The wife is made to stand in front of God and the priest shall do the ceremony which follows that law.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “’This is the law of jealousy, if any woman makes herself impure by going with another man besides her own husband, ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘This is the law about the husband that suspects his wife. If the wife made- herself -dirty by betraying her husband,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘That is the ritual that must be performed when a woman who is married has been unfaithful to her husband,” (Source: Translation for Translators)