Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Genesis 2:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 2:25:

  • Kankanaey: “Then he took the rib that he had removed and he turned-it-into a woman. When the man got-up/woke-up, right-there was the woman that God had taken to him. They two were naked, but they were not ashamed. The man said, ‘Now this is the one that suits me, because my bone, that is her bone just the same, and my flesh (muscle), that is her flesh also. I name her woman, because she came-from man.’ That is the reason that a man leaves his father and mother so-that he will take-into-his-home his wife, and they will become one.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Even though the husband and wife were both naked, they felt no shame.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “At that time, even-though the two of them were naked, they were- not -ashamed.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Although the man and his wife were naked, they were not ashamed about that.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 3:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 3:1:

  • Kankanaey: “Whereupon there was a snake who was the cleverest of all the wild-things that God created. There was one day, the snake said to the woman, ‘Is it really so (i.e., is it really the case) that God said it is forbidden that you (pl.) eat from even whatever fruit of the trees that is here?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Among all the animals that the LORD God had made, the snake was the most crafty of all. He said to the woman — ‘Did God actually say not to eat the fruit that is on some tree that is in the garden?'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Now, of all the wild animals that the LORD God had-made, the snake was the best in scheming/tricking. One time, the snake asked the woman, ‘Is it really true that you (pl.) are prohibited by God to eat any fruit from a tree in the garden?'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The snake was more cunning than all the other wild animals that Yahweh God had made. One day Satan gave to the snake the ability to talk to the woman. The snake said to her, ‘Did God really say to you, ‘Do not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the park/garden’?'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 3:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 3:2:

  • Kankanaey: “The woman said answering, ‘God said that we (excl.) may eat from all the fruit of the trees” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The woman said to the snake — ‘It is certainly all right to eat the fruit of any tree in the garden.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The woman answered, ‘We (excl.) can-eat any fruit from a tree here in the garden,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The woman replied, ‘What God said was, ‘Do not eat the fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the park/garden or touch it. If you do that, you will die. But you can eat fruit from any of the other trees.”” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 3:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 3:3:

  • Kankanaey: “except that which is in the middle of this land. He said that if we (excl.) eat that or we (excl.) only touch it, we (excl.) will die.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But God said ‘Do not eat even a little of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, do not even touch it, otherwise you will die.’ ‘” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “except the fruit of the tree that exists in the middle of this garden. For God said that we must/[intensifier] not eat the fruit of that tree or even just touch it. Because/For if we (excl.) eat it, we (excl.) will-die.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The woman replied, ‘What God said was, ‘Do not eat the fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the park/garden or touch it. If you do that, you will die. But you can eat fruit from any of the other trees.”” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 3:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 3:4:

  • Kankanaey: “Whereupon the snake said, ‘Is it so (sarc. RQ) that you (pl.) will die?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The snake said — ‘You will not die.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But the snake said, ‘It is not true that you (pl.) will-die!” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The snake said to the woman, ‘No, you will certainly not die. God said that” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 3:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 3:5:

  • Kankanaey: “That’s what God told you because he knows that if you eat any of that, you will be similar to him, and you will come-to-know the good and bad.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If you eat this you will also become like God. God has spoken like that because He knows that your eyes will be opened and you will know what is good and what is evil.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “God said that because he knew that if you (pl.) would-eat it, you (pl.) will-be-enlightened, and you (pl.) will-become like him who knows what is good and evil/bad.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “only because he knows that when you eat fruit from that tree, you will understand new things. It will be as though your eyes are opened, and you will know what is good to do and what is evil to do, just as God does.'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 3:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 3:6:

  • Kankanaey: “Then the woman looked-closely again at the fruit of that tree. Its appearance was good and delicious, and-meanwhile she said in her thoughts that that would be a good source for-making-her-wise, so she took some of the fruit of the tree and ate-it. Then she gave-(some)-to her spouse and he ate-it also.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The woman saw that the fruit that was on that tree seemed very attractive and seemed pleasing to eat. And because greed to have insight came into her heart, she picked the fruit that was on the tree and ate it. And she also gave [it] to her husband. Her husband also ate that fruit.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When the woman saw that the tree was good/pleasing to-look-at and its fruit was delicious to eat, and because she desired to become wise, she took the fruit and ate (it). She also gave-(it)-to her husband and he ate (it) too.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The woman saw that the fruit on that tree was good to eat, and it was very beautiful, and she desired it because she thought it would make her wise. So she picked some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he ate it.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 3:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 3:7:

  • Kankanaey: “Right when they ate it, they understood what had happened to them, and they sensed that they were naked. They accordingly got some leaves of a fig (loan igos) tree and sewed (them) so-that that’s what they would use-for-covering their bodies.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “As soon as they ate that fruit, the eyes of both of them were opened. They became aware that they were naked. Then they stitched clothing of fig leaves and covered up their bodies.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Right-after they had-eaten, they were-able-to-understand what is good and evil, and they realized that they were-naked indeed/(surprise particle). So they joined-side-to-side the leaves of fig tree to cover their body.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Immediately it was as though their eyes were opened, and they realized that they were naked, so they were ashamed. So they picked some fig leaves and fastened them together to make clothes for themselves.” (Source: Translation for Translators)