root producing poison

The metaphor that is rendered in English as “root producing poison” was replaced in Afar by an applicable idiom for corrupting people, “this disease will spread to you as well.”

surround like men guarding a field

The Hebrew that is rendered in English versions as “surround like men guarding a field” does not fit in Afar as a metaphor for a siege of a city since the intent of guarding a field is protection while that of the siege is to harm. So it was translated as “Cal uma awur yasguudeenim faxan waqdi, yabbixoonuh elle maraasiyan innal, Yarusalaam marot heelon.”: “They will encircle Jerusalem as when men encircle a bad-tempered bull they want to slaughter.” (Fields are not common, so a cattle-raising comparison was used.)

bird hatching eggs that it did not lay

The Hebrew simile of (what is translated in English as) “a bird hatching eggs that it didn’t lay” is not clear in Afar so it was changed to “like a man who wants to inherit property which his parents didn’t leave to him.”

let them be overthrown before you

The Hebrew that is rendered in English as “let them be overthrown before you” is translated into Afar as “make them as a tree eaten by termites. When you are angry don’t be merciful.”

your bone and your flesh

The Hebrew that is translated in English as “I am your bone and your flesh” (or: “my bone and my flesh) is translated into Afar as anu sin qabalaay sin nabsi kinniyo: “I am your blood and body.” (Source: Loren Bliese)

It is translated likewise in Kutu and in Kwere. In Vidunda, it is translated as “family.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See also become one flesh.

pledge loyalty

The Hebrew that is translated in English versions as “pledged their loyalty to Absalom,” or “the hearts have gone after Absalom” was translated into Afar as ‘Ku kabut gacennooh ko’lih rabenno’ ‘yaanam axcuk yenen.: “They were saying, ‘We will go with you and we will die with you.’ (Direct speech is used instead of general descriptions of speech acts. The pledge to even die with one’s leader in battle is a typical expression of loyalty.)

blood come back on the head

The Hebrew that was translated into English versions as “so shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever” was translated into Afar as Yowab ta marat abe qidim kaa kee kay ramadih fillal raqtay.: “May the killing done on those people by Joab remain on his and his descendants’ neck.” (Note head > neck.)