wine

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are translated as “wine” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “grape juice pressed long ago (= fermented)” or “strong water” (source: Daud Soesilo). In Guhu-Samane it is also translated as “strong water” (source: Ernest L. Richert in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 198ff. ), in Noongar as “liquor” (verbatim: “strong water”) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Hausa as ruwan inabi or “water of grapes” (with no indication whether it’s alcoholic or not — source: Mark A. Gaddis), in sar as kasə nduú or “grape drink” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin), or in Papantla Totonac and Coyutla Totonac as “a drink like Pulque” (for “Pulque,” see here ) (source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1971, p. 169ff. ).

In Swahili, Bible translations try to avoid local words for alcoholic drinks, because “drinking of any alcohol at all was one of the sins most denounced by early missionaries. Hence translators are uncomfortable by the occurrences of wine in the Bible. Some of the established churches which use wine prefer to see church wine as holy, and would not refer to it by the local names used for alcoholic drinks. Instead church wine is often referred to by terms borrowed from other languages, divai (from German, der Wein) or vini/mvinyo (from ltalian/Latin vino/vinum). Several translations done by Protestants have adapted the Swahili divai for ‘wine,’ while those done by Catholics use vini or mvinyo.” (Source: Rachel Konyoro in The Bible Translator 1985, p. 221ff. )

The Swahili divai was in turn borrowed by Sabaot and was turned into tifaayiik and is used as such in the Bible. Kupsabiny, on the other hand, borrowed mvinyo from Swahili and turned it into Finyonik. (Source: Iver Larsen)

In Nyamwezi, two terms are used. Malwa ga muzabibu is a kind of alcohol that people specifically use to get drunk (such as in Genesis 9:21) and ki’neneko is used for a wine made from grapes (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext).

In some Hindi translations (such as the Common Language version, publ. 2015 ), one term (dākharasa दाखरस — grape juice) is used when that particular drink is in the focus (such as in John 2) and another term (madirā मदिरा — “alcohol” or “liquor”) when drunkenness is in the focus (such as in Eph. 5:18).

In Mandarin Chinese, the generic term jiǔ (酒) or “alcohol(ic drink)” is typically used. Exceptions are Leviticus 10:9, Numbers 6:3, Deuteronomy 29:6, Judges 13:4 et al., 1 Samuel 1:15, and Luke 1:15 where a differentiation between weak and strong alcohol is needed. The Mandarin Chinese Union Version (2010) translates that as qīngjiǔ lièjiǔ (清酒烈酒) and dànjiǔ lièjiǔ (淡酒烈酒), both in the form of a Chinese proverb and meaning “light alcohol and strong drink.” (Source: Zetzsche)

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about wine in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also proceeds from the vine / anything that comes from the grapevine, wine (Japanese honorifics), filled with new wine, and wine (Gen 27:28).

fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (2 Chronicles 11:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 11:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “Rehoboam built for those cities strong walls so they were protected, and then he caused the leaders of soldiers to live there. He built there places to keep/store food, olive oil and wine.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “And he also put governors in those cities with food to eat, olive oil and new wine.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He strengthened its defenses/stone-walled and have-placed/put commanders in these towns. He gave them food, olive oil and wine.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “He also appointed an army commander in each of those cities and towns, and gave them supplies of food, olive oil, and wine to keep in storage.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 11:11

The Hebrew of this verse begins with the common conjunction, which is omitted by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation as well as most other versions.

He made the fortresses strong: Do the fortresses refer to something different from the fortified cities mentioned in the previous verse and the cities for defense in verse 5? According to Good News Translation, they refer to the same places. But according to An American Translation, they refer to additional places: “He also strengthened the fortresses.” Either interpretation is possible, but the majority of versions seem to take the word fortresses as synonymous with the previous expressions. The fortresses existed to keep out foreign armies, not to keep in the citizens of the southern kingdom.

And put commanders in them: This clause may mean Rehoboam appointed several commanders for each fortified city, or it may mean he appointed one commander for each of the cities (so Good News Translation). The second sense is more likely.

And stores of food, oil, and wine: The Hebrew noun translated stores is sometimes rendered “treasures,” but in this context it clearly refers to supplies. See the comments on this Hebrew noun at 1 Chr 9.26. The Hebrew word for oil does not refer to petroleum oil but rather to “olive oil” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version, New Living Translation). See the comments on 1 Chr 9.29 and 2 Chr 2.10. For wine see 1 Chr 27.27.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .