Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Genesis 4:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 4:1:

  • Kankanaey: “After that’s how it was, Adan and Eva his spouse slept-together and she became-pregnant (lit. passive of existential). When she gave-birth then, (it was) a male, and she named him Cain saying, ‘God helped me to give-birth-to (lit. cause-to-come-out) a male.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Adam and Eve had intercourse. Then Eve conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, ‘By the LORD’s blessing I have a son.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “After that, Adan slept/(implied had-sexual-intercourse) with his wife Eva and she became-pregnant. When Eva had-given-birth, she said, ‘I was-able-to-possess/acquire male child through/with the help of the LORD, so I will-name him Cain.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Adam had sex/slept with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son whom she named Cain, which sounds like the word that means ‘produce’, because, she said, ‘By Yahweh’s help I have produced a son.’ Some time later she gave birth to another son, and she named him Abel.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 4:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 4:2:

  • Kankanaey: “When she gave-birth again, (it was) also another male, and they named-(him) Abel. When those siblings grew-big, their work was of-different-kinds. Abel was the one who took-care-of their sheep. Cain however, he planted.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then soon after that she gave birth to another son, Abel. Abel became a shepherd, Cain became one who does field work.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “And then later Eve again gave-birth to a male and she named him Abel. When they grew-up/[lit. became-big] now, Abel became (a) keeper of sheep and goats, and Cain on-the-other-hand became a farmer.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “After those boys grew up, Abel tended/took care of sheep and goats, and Cain became a farmer.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 4:3)

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

  • Kankanaey: “On one-occasion, Cain took some of the ripe produce (lit. fruit) of what he had planted and offered it to God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Some time later Cain sacrificed to the LORD what had grown in his field.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “One day back-then, Cain offered to the LORD from his harvest/produce.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “One day Cain harvested some of the crops he had grown and brought them to Yahweh as a gift for him,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 4:4)

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

  • Kankanaey: “As for Abel by-contrast, he chose a fat firstborn sheep and he offered to God the best part of it that had fat. When God saw those-aforementioned that they offered, he was satisfied with Abel and what he offered,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Abel also offered a sacrifice, having selected all the best looking first born sheep from the flock. The LORD liked Abel’s offering.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Abel on-the-other-hand took (a) first-born of his flock/animals and butchered it, and offered the best part to God. God was-pleased with Abel and his offering,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “and Abel took from his flock some of the first lambs that had been born and killed them and, as a gift, gave to Yahweh the fatty parts, which were the best parts. Yahweh was pleased with Abel and his offering,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 4:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 4:5:

  • Kankanaey: “but he was not satisfied with Abel and what he offered. So Cain’s anger was extreme and he looked-sullen.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Cain and his offering, however, He did not like. So Cain became very angry. His face became dark.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “but he was- not -pleased with Cain and his offering. And because of this, Cain frowned/sulked and his anger was very intense.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “but he was not pleased with Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face looked dejected.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 4:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 4:6:

  • Kankanaey: “Whereupon God talked-to him and said, ‘Why are you (sing.) looking-sullen in your anger?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then the LORD said to him — ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face [so] dark?'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So the LORD asked him, ‘What are- you -angry-about? Why are you frowning/sulking?” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Yahweh said to Cain, ‘You should not be angry!/Why are you angry? You should not scowl like that!/Why do you scowl like that?” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 4:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 4:7:

  • Kankanaey: “If what you (sing.) did had been right, I would also have accepted what you (sing.) offered. But since what you (sing.) did was bad, Satanas is ready to tempt you (sing.) again. He wants to persuade you (sing.) to sin, so you (sing.) must defeat him.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If you do good work, you will also be loved. If you do not do good work, sin will be coming to your door. He will try to take you in [his] hand, but you must take power over him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If only you were doing well/good, you would-have-been happy. But be-careful! Because if you are- not -doing-good, sin will-over-power/rule you. Because sin is like a wild/harmful/violent animal watching-over you in-order-to-devour you. So you must/have-to overcome/win-over it.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “If you had done what was right (OR, if you do what is right), I would accept your offering. But if you do not do what is right, your desire to sin is ready to attack you like a wild animal that crouches outside the doorway, ready to spring on its victim. Your desire to sin wants to control you, but you must control/not obey it.'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

complete verse (Genesis 4:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 4:8:

  • Kankanaey: “When that was so, Cain talked-with his-younger-sibling Abel and said, ‘Let us (dual) go to the mountains.’ When they went-out-of-view, he attacked (lit. suddened) to kill his younger-sibling.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then Cain said to his younger brother, Abel — ‘Let’s go to the field.’ Having arrived in the field, Cain attacked his younger brother, Abel, and killed him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “One day back-then, Cain said to Abel, ‘Come, we will-go to the farm/field.’ And when they were already there, Cain killed Abel who is his sibling/(brother).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But one day, Cain said to his younger brother Abel, ‘Let’s go for a walk in the fields.’ So they went together. And when they were in the countryside, suddenly Cain attacked Abel and killed him.” (Source: Translation for Translators)