Translation commentary on Ruth 1:8: A Cultural Commentary for Central Africa

The literal form of Naomi’s suggestion turns out to be very misleading in both Chewa and Tonga (it is somewhat problematic culturally in Hebrew as well; see the commentaries). It would be a grave insult indeed to tell a girl to “go back home and stay with your mother” (Good News Bible), for this would imply that she has failed somehow as a wife and needs to be sent back to her village in order to receive further domestic “training.” In fact, the marriage would probably end there. In this situation there is the added complication that Naomi seems to be acting contrary to custom by refusing to allow her widowed daughters-in-law to be married again to close relatives of the clan of the deceased (i.e., her own sons). Other possible negative implications are that Naomi is here verbally abusing her daughters-in-law (after luring them away from their village) because they had not been properly married to her sons, or worse, that Naomi did not want them along since she suspected them of being “witches”; for what other reason should her husband and only sons die in that foreign land? Her subsequent words would then be taken ironically—a curse in the form of a blessing: may God do to you as you have done to my two sons and me myself (i.e., through my husband — you and your people have killed them all off!).

Source: Wendland 1987, p. 168f.

Translation commentary on Ruth 1:9: A Cultural Commentary for Central Africa

Adults, whether of the same or the opposite sex, do not kiss one another publicly in traditional African society. A mother, however, may affectionately kiss her small child or baby. One must therefore indicate the social significance of this act in the original; e.g., “she bid them farewell by kissing them.” The reason for the daughters’ “weeping” is also not clear from the text. Loud public crying or wailing is normally done only at the time of a funeral.

Source: Wendland 1987, p. 169.

Translation commentary on Ruth 1:11: A Cultural Commentary for Central Africa

Naomi’s apparent suggestion that she might bear more sons for her daughters-in-law to marry sounds crudely out of place in a Tonga setting. Surely there would have been some near kinsmen available who could have performed this vital socioreligious function, e.g., an uncle or cousin of the deceased (from the mother’s side of the family).

Source: Wendland 1987, p. 169.

Translation commentary on Ruth 1:12: A Cultural Commentary for Central Africa

Here again Naomi’s words are far too blunt, when translated literally, to have been spoken to her daughters-in-law, unless she intended to insult them! The overt reference to her bearing children (which they had not) and the implicit mention of sexual intercourse (despite the euphemism: to “have a husband this night”) are particularly troublesome from the point of view of Chewa/Tonga verbal etiquette. Naomi sounds as if she is despising her daughters-in-law.

Source: Wendland 1987, p. 169.

Translation commentary on Ruth 1:13: A Cultural Commentary for Central Africa

Naomi’s complaint that God was afflicting her is typical enough, but that would be understood only in a very general sense. If she were an African, she would be likely to press this further to find out why all this trouble had befallen her. A more crucial question, however, would be to ascertain who was the underlying cause. In this situation one might expect that a diviner would be consulted in order to determine either in what way she had offended her ancestral spirits that they should allow this to happen, or who was the “witch” that was bent upon destroying her family, and thus also herself.

Source: Wendland 1987, p. 169.

Translation commentary on Ruth 1:15: A Cultural Commentary for Central Africa

The expression “her gods” is problematic in Chitonga because Leza is regarded as being sui generis; therefore, no plural is possible, except perhaps as a reference to the ancestral spirits. But for Naomi to say that Orpah had “gone back . . . to her ancestors” would represent a direct transculturization of the original, and this is not a valid translation option when producing a version that takes the biblical sociocultural context seriously. The solution in this instance is not difficult, namely, to adopt the alternative (and more likely) interpretation, “her god” (i.e., Chemosh, 1 Kg 11:33).

We also note in passing that the Tonga would generally consider their God to be the same as the Chewa God, Chauta, except for the mere variation in name, and vice-versa. The difference between these two peoples in specific religious belief and practice, however, is recognized and forms an important barrier that separates them.

Source: Wendland 1987, p. 170.

Translation commentary on Ruth 1:17: A Cultural Commentary for Central Africa

A natural Chichewa cultural substitute for the Hebrew oath and curse formula, “May the Lord do so to me and more,” is “May lightning (i.e., viewed as being sent by God) tear me!” But this expression may convey negative (“heathen”) overtones as far as the Christian constituency is concerned, thus making it unacceptable for use in the Scriptures. Ruth’s expressed desire that she be buried at the home of her husband’s relatives is a very significant pledge of loyalty also from a Chewa point of view, for normally (unless too great a distance is involved) a man, or woman, will be taken back to his (her) own village for burial. Ruth’s promise that even death will not be able to separate her from Naomi corresponds to the Chewa/Tonga socio-religious belief that the grave is no barrier to interpersonal relation-ships, whether good or bad, for one’s community includes the society of ancestral spirits.

Source: Wendland 1987, p. 170.

Translation commentary on Ruth 1:19: A Cultural Commentary for Central Africa

The rhetorical question, “Is this Naomi?” may be misunderstood if rendered literally to imply that the people did not recognize Naomi after so many years. But the question is rather a shocked comment upon her miserable social condition due to the loss of her husband and sons. Thus a more appropriate expression would be (Chichewa) “Ha! so Naomi has come back like this?”

Source: Wendland 1987, p. 171.