complete verse (Genesis 41:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 41:20:

  • Kankanaey: “Those extremely-skinny cows, they abruptly-ate the good-looking-ones,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Those thin cows whose bones were visible ate the first cows who were fat and good looking.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then the ugly and thin cows ate-up the seven fat cows who came-up first.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The thin ugly cows ate the seven fat cows that came up first.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 41:19 - 41:20

Verse 19 adds such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt, meaning “worse than any cows I had ever seen in Egypt.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .