years (age)

In Aekyom, years are counted as “turtles” (ambum).

Norm Mundhenk tells this story:

“Recently I was checking some New Testament material in the Aekyom language of western Papua New Guinea. It seemed relatively clear until suddenly we came to a passage that started, ‘When Jesus had 12 turtles, …’ Surely I had misunderstood what they said.
“‘Did you say that Jesus had 12 turtles?’
“‘Let us explain! Around here there is a certain time every year when river turtles come up on the banks and lay their eggs. Because this is so regular, it can be used as a way of counting years. Someone’s age is said to be how many turtles that person has. So when we say that Jesus had 12 turtles, we mean that Jesus was 12 years old.’
“It was of course the familiar story of Jesus’ trip with his parents to Jerusalem. And certainly, as we all know, Jesus did indeed have 12 turtles at that time!”

In Tok Pisin, krismas (derived from “christmas”) is taken as the fixed annual marker, so Jesus had 12 “christmases” (Jisas i gat 12-pela krismas pinis) or Abram (in Gen. 12:4) had 75 (Abram i gat 75 krismas) (source: Norm Mundhenk). In Noongar it is biroka kadak or “summers had” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also advanced in years.

complete verse (Numbers 4:35)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 4:35:

  • Kupsabiny:

    So, Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the clans counted the people as God has told them. The three houses that hailed from the clan of Levi were counted according to their houses. Those were: House of Kohath, Gershon and Merari. The men who had thirty years up to fifty were counted so they could work in the Tent of God. The list was like this:

    House Counting
    Kohath 2,750
    Gershon 2,630
    Merari 3,200
    Total number 8,580

    (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)

  • Newari: “All the men between 30 and 50 years of age who come to work at the Tent of Meeting were counted.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon:

    To follow the command of the LORD, Moises, Aaron and the leaders of the community of Israel census the descendants of Kohat, Gershon, and Merari according to their relatives and families. They counted all the men that ages from 30 to 50 years old who were able to serve the Meeting-Together-Place, and these are their number:

    Family Number
    Kohat 2,750
    Gershon 2,630
    Merari 3,200

    The total of their number, 8,580 all.

    (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

  • English: “They/We counted all the men who were between 30 and 50 years old who were able to work at the Sacred Tent.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Numbers 4:34 - 4:37

Verses 34-37 deal with the registration of the Kohathite clans.

And Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites: The conjunction And may be rendered “So” (New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) since it introduces the response of Moses and Aaron to the preceding instructions of the LORD. The Hebrew word for leaders is nasiʾ, as in 1.16 (see the comments there). It is better rendered “chiefs” (Revised English Bible) or “chieftains” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The Hebrew word for congregation (ʿedah) is better translated “community” (Good News Translation), as in 1.2 (see the comments there). It refers to the national, legal and cultic community of Israel. The Hebrew verb for numbered (paqad) is better rendered “enrolled” (New Revised Standard Version), “recorded” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or “registered” (see the comments on 1.3). The sons of the Kohathites may be translated “the descendants of Kohath” (Bible en français courant) or simply “the Kohathites” (New Revised Standard Version).

By their families and their fathers’ houses: See the comments on 1.2. These two phrases are better rendered “by clans and by families” (Bible en français courant), as in verse 2. Again, Good News Translation has to say “by subclans and families” since it speaks of “the three Levite clans, Kohath, Gershon, and Merari,” which implies that Kohath had only one clan.

From thirty years old up to fifty years old may be rendered “between the ages of thirty and fifty” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version).

Every one that could enter the service renders a similar Hebrew expression translated “all who can enter the service” in verse 3 (see the comments there). This clause is better rendered “all who were subject to service” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “all who were eligible to service” (similarly New Living Translation). It concerns an obligation (or privilege) to serve in the Tabernacle.

For work in the tent of meeting: Work renders the Hebrew word translated “service” in verse 4 (see the comments there). For the tent of meeting, see 1.1.

And their number by families was two thousand seven hundred and fifty: Number renders the same Hebrew verb translated numbered, so it is better rendered “enrollment” (New Revised Standard Version) or “recorded” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Families renders the Hebrew word mishpachah, which is better translated “clans” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh; see 1.2).

This was the number of the families of the Kohathites …: Verse 37 concludes the paragraph concerning the registration of the Kohathite clans. Again, number renders the same Hebrew verb translated numbered, and families translates the Hebrew word mishpachah, so this clause is better rendered “This was the enrollment of the clans of the Kohathites” (New Revised Standard Version).

All who served in the tent of meeting refers to the clans of the Kohathites.

Whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses: Moses is mentioned before Aaron here, which indicates that, as the leader, he was more prominent. Again, numbered renders the Hebrew verb paqad (see the comments above). According to the commandment of the LORD by Moses is literally “upon the mouth of the LORD by the hand of Moses” (see 3.16), which may be translated “just as the LORD had commanded through Moses” (New Living Translation).

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .