The Greek that is translated as “slanderer” or “backbiter” or similar in English is translated as “raised up lies about their fellow people” in Central Mazahua, as “talk ugly about their fellows” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui, as “those who give a vicious twist to what they hear” in Highland Totonac, and as “hunted people’s sin” in Huehuetla Tepehua. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Language-specific Insights
dishonor God
The Greek that is usually translated in English as “dishonor God” is translated in various ways:
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “defame God’s character or disgrace him”
- Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “have no reverence before God”
- Tabasco Chontal: “cause God to be hated”
- Sayula Popoluca: “put God in a bad light”
- Highland Totonac: “put God to shame”
- Tzeltal: “cause embarrassment to God”
- Isthmus Zapotec: “err against God”
- Central Tarahumara: “become an enemy of God” (source for all above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
alive to God
The Greek that is translated as “alive to God” or similar is translated as “living in order to give honor to God” in Yatzachi Zapotec, as “it is God for whom you live now” in Highland Totonac, “God has caused you to be alive, to do what he wants” in Tabasco Chontal, and as “live like servants of God” Huehuetla Tepehua. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
flesh (human nature)
The Greek that is often translated as “flesh” in English (when referring to the lower human nature) can, according to Nida (1947, p. 153) “very rarely be literally translated into another language. ‘My meat’ or ‘my muscle’ does not make sense in most languages.” He then gives a catalog of almost 30 questions to determine a correct translation for that term.
Accordingly, the translations are very varied:
- Highland Totonac: “like other men”
- Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “the path of sinful people”
- Mezquital Otomi: “of earthly kind” or “old life”
- Huehuetla Tepehua: “old life”
- Tzeltal: “body”
- Sayula Popoluca: “body that does evil”
- Tabasco Chontal: “old mind” (Source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
- Chichewa: “character that is inclined to evil things” (source: Ernst Wendland in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 319ff.)
- Huautla Mazatec: “the self” (Nida 1947, p. 248)
- Swabian 2007 translation by Rudolf Paul: irdisch menschliche Gesinnung or “earthly-human mind”
- Warao: “old obojona.” Obojona is a term that “includes the concepts of consciousness, will, attitude, attention and a few other miscellaneous notions” (source: Henry Osborn in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 74ff. ). See other occurrences of Obojona in the Warao New Testament.
The Toraja-Sa’dan translation uses a variety of terms for the translation of the same Greek term (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight)
- A form of kale tolinona or “corporeal” is for instance used in Romans 9:5 or Colossians 1:22 (and also in Genesis 6:3 and Exodus 30:32)
- A form of mentolinona or “the human” is for instance used in Matthew 16:17 or John 1:14
- Phrases that include pa’kalean or “bodiliness” (also: “human shape”) are for instance used in Romans 6:6 or 1 Peter 2:11 (as well as in Isa 52:14, Isa 53:2, and Lamentations 4:7
(Source: H. van der Veen in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 207ff. )
See also spirit / flesh, old self, and flesh (John 1:14).
led by
The Greek that is translated “led by” or similar in English is translated in various ways:
- North Alaskan Inupiatun: “controlled by”
- Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “pleased that (the Holy Spirit) should show the way to them”
- Highland Totonac: “live by the help of”
- Central Tarahumara: “well ordered by”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: whom (the Spirit of God) puts into the road”
bondage to decay
The Greek that is translated as “bondage to decay” or similar in English is translated as “they continually die” in Highland Totonac, as “the hand of rottenness” Isthmus Zapotec, and as “every animal must die, every tree must decay, every herb must dry up” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
generations
The Greek that is rendered as “generations” in English versions is translated into Sierra Totonac as “growings.” (2nd translation into Sierra Totonac of 1999.)
See also (this) generation and all generations.
if God is for us
The Greek that is translated as “if God is for us” is translated as “if God is in fellowship with us” in Chicahuaxtla Triqui, “if God does not abandon us” in Miahuatlán Zapotec, as “if God is united with us” in Yatzachi Zapotec, as “God is the one who helps us” in Huehuetla Tepehua, as “God himself loves us” in Teutila Cuicatec, as “if God is in our favor” Isthmus Zapotec, and as “if God is our helper” in Highland Totonac. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)