The Greek that is translated as “wild honey” in English was difficult to translate in Toba and Iyojwa’ja Chorote.
Bill Mitchell (in Omanson 2001, p. 435) explains why: “Unlike urban, industrialized society, the indigenous way of life is inextricably linked with the land. A deep relationship with nature permeates all of life. This can sometimes be seen in the wealth of vocabulary for certain items. Mark 1:6 and Matthew 3:4 state that John the Baptist ate ‘wild honey.’ The Tobas of northern Argentina have ten different words for ‘wild honey,’ the Chorotes have seven or eight. The biblical text does not specify a type of wild honey, but Toba translators live in the Gran Chaco and harvest wild honey. They want to use the exact word; they do not have a generic term.”
In both cases the translators ended up using the most common term for “wild honey.”
Low German translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006: “steppe”
Yakan: “the lonely place” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “a land where no people lived” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “the place with no inhabitants” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Matumbi uses various term: lubele (desert, sandy place without water) — used in John 11:54, lupu’ngu’ti (a place where no people live, can be a scrub land, a forest, or a savanna) — used in Mark 1:3 et al.), and mwitu (a forest, a place where wild animals live) — used in Mark 1:13 et al.) (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
Chichewa Contemporary translation (2002/2016): chipululu: a place uninhabited by people with thick forest and bush (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Note that in Luke 15:4, usually a term is used that denotes pastoral land, such as “eating/grazing-place” in Tagbanwa (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation).
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:26:
Uma: “That person shook/trembled because of the evil spirit, and he cried out, and the evil spirit that possessed [rode] him came out.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “So-then the man was convulsed by the demon and after the demon had screamed/shouted, he came out from the man.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And immediately the demon caused that man to have convulsions and caused him to scream loudly, and the demon came out of him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Whereupon the spirit caused-that man -to-convulse while-simultaneously he made-him -scream, and then he left him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “That person was again caused to convulse by that evil spirit who was possessing him. And then it cried out as it left his body.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Balinese: “The demon(s) tormented the man so that he jerked, then went out while he (or they) screamed, loudly.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:27:
Uma: “All the people who saw it were surprised, with the result that they spoke-to-one-another, they said: ‘No kidding! This is a new teaching, he really does have power! He expelled evil spirits, and they really did follow his command!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “All the people were amazed, therefore they asked-each-other they said, ‘What is this? This is hep new teaching. He has authority to command even the demons, and they obey his commands.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “All of the people there were greatly amazed, and because of this they began to talk to each other saying, ‘What perhaps is this? Perhaps this is a new doctrine. Because why is he so powerful to command even the demons, and they obey him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “The eyes of those who were there widened (indicating surprise) and they said-to-each-other, ‘Wey! This new teaching is really something! Even evil-spirits, he (admiration particle) has authority to command them and they leave.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “That crowd was really amazed. What they were doing was asking-each-other, ‘Whatever is this? A new teaching? For look at this, he has authority to order even evil spirits and they obey him.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Then all were amazed. Even amazed they asked one another: What is this? Is it a new taught word? Being a strength possessor he tells even the ruinous demons to go out. When he tells them, 28 they hear his word.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “All the people there were so dumbfounded, so that they said to each other: ‘Ah, what is that? A new teaching full of power! For all the demons are ordered about by Him, so that they follow all His commands.'” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:28:
Uma: “From there, the news talking-about Yesus was spread all over Galilea-land.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “So-then his fame immediately became well-known in all the places there in the land Jalil.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And through this the fame of Jesus quickly spread through the whole province of Galilee.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “That being so, (news) concerning Jesus was rapidly reported-from-one-to-another in all parts of Galilea.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “The news concerning Jesus spread very quickly over the whole area of Galilea.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 1:29:
Uma: “When Yesus his disciples returned from that prayer house, they went to the home of Simon and Andreas. Yakobus and Yohanes also went with them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “After that, Isa went out of the prayer-house and entered the house of Simon and Andariyas. He was together with Yakub and Yahiya.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then Jesus and company left the church and went to the house of Simon and Andrew. James and John went also with them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When plural Jesus came-out of the synagogue, they went-directly to the house of Simon and Andrew. Santiago and Juan went also.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “On their coming out of the worship-place, Jesus and company went to the house of those brothers, Simon and Andres. Their companions in going there were Santiago and Juan.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Shipibo-Conibo: “Just then they went out of the small house to praise God in. Having gone out they went and arrived at the house of Simon and Andrew. James, John with them arrived.” (Source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
Balinese: “When they came out of the place of worship. Jesus went in the house of Andreas and Simon, followed by Jakub and Jokanan.” (Source: J.L. Swellengrebel in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 75ff. )
