discharge

The Hebrew that is translated as “discharge” or similar in English is translated in Kalanga with tjigwele, a term that refers to sexually transmitted diseases. (Source: project-specific notes in Paratext)

In Kwere, the term ufila is used which implies pus (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext) and in Newari it is translated as “disease of the semen.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)

complete verse (Leviticus 15:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 15:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “If that person has touched another person and his/her hands are not washed, the one who was touched needs to wash his/her clothes and bathe and that person is unclean until sunset.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If a man with disease of the semen touches anyone without washing his hands, that person must wash his clothes, [he/she] must also bathe, and he/she will be unclean until evening time.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Anyone who will-be-touched by this person that has- not -washed his hands, he must launder his clothes and bathe, but he is- still -to-be-considered dirty/unclean until (it) becomes-twilight/dusk.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Anyone whom the man with such a discharge of fluid from his body touches without first rinsing his hands in water must wash his clothes and bathe, and no one should touch him until that evening.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Leviticus 15:11

Without having rinsed his hands: in Hebrew the subject of this clause may be either the man with the discharge or the person he touches. Both Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible take it to refer to the man with the discharge. La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée understands it as referring to the other person. Logically, it is much more likely that it is the man with the discharge. This should be made clear in translation.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .