The Hebrew that is translated as “offering” in English is translated in Venda as nduvho. J. A. van Rooy (in The Bible Translator 1974, p. 439ff. ) explains: “It is derived from the verb u luvha (‘to pay homage to; to acknowledge the superiority of; at the same time usually asking for a favour’). It is sometimes used as a synonym for ‘asking something from a chief. The noun nduvho means ‘a gift of allegiance,’ which corresponds closely with minchah (מִנְחָה) as ‘offering of allegiance.’ This term nduvho has in it the elements of subjugation, of reciprocity (asking for a favor), of being taken up into the same community as the chief in allegiance to him. Only the element of expiation is missing.”
In Northern Emberá, it is translated as “given to God freely.” (Source: Loewen 1980, p. 108)
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)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 2:6:
Kupsabiny: “The bread must be broken into pieces and olive oil poured over it. That is food which is offered to (God).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “[You] must break it to pieces and pour oil on it, it is a grain sacrifice.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Break- this -in-pieces and put- oil -on-(it). This (is) a gift offering.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “You must crumble it and pour olive oil on it. That will be your offering made from grain.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
You shall break it in pieces: the future tense here has an imperative meaning. The exact significance of this part of the ritual is uncertain, but perhaps it is intended to correspond to 1.6, where the animal sacrifice is cut into pieces. It may be possible in some languages to leave the subject impersonal, but otherwise the subject pronoun you may be rendered “the person making the offering.”
Pour oil on it: in some cases it may be wise to say something like “pour more oil on it” in order to make it clear that this is the second time oil is used in this ritual.
It is a cereal offering: this information may seem unnecessary or repetitious in some languages. But the intention of the writer was probably to mark the end of the paragraph on grain offerings of this type. It may be translated as a kind of summary statement: “This is the way a person offers this kind of grain offering.”
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 .
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