scripture

The Greek that is translated “scripture” or “scriptures” in English is translated as “God’s word which people wrote” in Guerrero Amuzgo (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125) and “paper writings” in Copainalá Zoque (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.).

While the term “Bible,” often used as a synonym, does not appear in the Bible itself, there’s an interesting translation of that word in Dehu. Missionaries had translated “Bible” as “Container of the Word” until they realized that this was also used for “penis sheath.” (Source: Clifford 1992, p. 87)

For other translations of scripture see all scripture is inspired by God and examined the scriptures.

complete verse (Romans 9:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 9:17:

  • Uma: “Remember also the words of God to Firaun, the king in the land of Mesir long ago, that say: ‘I lifted you (sing.) up to be king with just one purpose: so that from your (sing.) rebelliousness I could show my power, with the result that my name would be made-big in the whole world.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “There is also something told about a king in the land of Misil long ago. It is written in the holy-book that God said to the king, ‘I make you the king to rule here in this land so that I can demonstrate/show my power because-of you and so that my name will become known/famous in all the earth/world.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But if He wants to it is possible that He does not pity a person, for example, the king long ago in Egypt, God didn’t pity him but said to him, ‘The reason I made you a king is so that I might be made famous here in all the earth.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Let us consider the written word of God to Faraon who was king of Egipto. He said, ‘I have made you a king in order to show my power because of you and so that my name will become known in the many-towns/countries on the earth.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “It is written in the Holy Book what God told the ruler who ruled in the land of Egypt. He said: ‘I appointed you to rule in order that concerning the signs I show you, they will cause that people everywhere will know about me, and they will know that I have power.’ he said” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

For the Old Testament quote, see Exodus 9:16.

Pharaoh

The term that is used for monarchs in ancient Egypt and is transliterated as “Pharaoh” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language with the sign signifying the “fake metal beard (postiche)” that was word by Pharaohs during official functions. (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Pharaoh” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Pharaoh .

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Romans 9:17

In order to make his argument even stronger, Paul appeals to a further passage of scripture (Exodus 9.16). The Good News Translation takes the first verb in this verse (literally “I raised you up”) to mean I made you king.

In some languages it is impossible to introduce direct discourse beginning with I (I made you king …) by the phrase the scripture says to Pharaoh, since the pronoun I would seem to refer to the scripture. Rather, one must have “for the scripture quotes God as saying to Pharaoh” or “for the words of God to Pharaoh occur in the scripture as” or “in the scripture God says to Pharaoh.”

In this quotation God tells Pharaoh that he has two reasons for making him king: (1) to use you to show my power and (2) to make my name known in all the world. Since there are clearly two purposes, for this very purpose may have to be made plural—for example, “for these reasons” or even “for the following reasons.”

To use you to show my power is literally “to show my power in you” (New English Bible “to exhibit my power in my dealings with you”; Jerusalem Bible “to use you as a means of showing my power”). In some languages this may be rendered as “to cause you to show how strong I am” or “… to show to all how great my power is.”

To make my name known in all the world (New English Bible “to spread my fame over all the world”; Moffatt “to spread news of my name over all the earth”) may be translated as “to cause all people throughout the world to know about me” or “… to know my name.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .