sin

The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated as “sin” in English has a wide variety of translations.

The Greek ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō) carries the original verbatim meaning of “miss the mark.” Likewise, many translations contain the “connotation of moral responsibility.” Loma has (for certain types of sin) “leaving the road” (which “implies a definite standard, the transgression of which is sin”) or Navajo uses “that which is off to the side.” (Source: Bratcher / Nida). In Toraja-Sa’dan the translation is kasalan, which originally meant “transgression of a religious or moral rule” and has shifted its meaning in the context of the Bible to “transgression of God’s commandments.” (Source: H. van der Veen in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 21ff. ).

In Shipibo-Conibo the term is hocha. Nida (1952, p. 149) tells the story of its choosing: “In some instances a native expression for sin includes many connotations, and its full meaning must be completely understood before one ever attempts to use it. This was true, for example, of the term hocha first proposed by Shipibo-Conibo natives as an equivalent for ‘sin.’ The term seemed quite all right until one day the translator heard a girl say after having broken a little pottery jar that she was guilty of ‘hocha.’ Breaking such a little jar scarcely seemed to be sin. However, the Shipibos insisted that hocha was really sin, and they explained more fully the meaning of the word. It could be used of breaking a jar, but only if the jar belonged to someone else. Hocha was nothing more nor less than destroying the possessions of another, but the meaning did not stop with purely material possessions. In their belief God owns the world and all that is in it. Anyone who destroys the work and plan of God is guilty of hocha. Hence the murderer is of all men most guilty of hocha, for he has destroyed God’s most important possession in the world, namely, man. Any destructive and malevolent spirit is hocha, for it is antagonistic and harmful to God’s creation. Rather than being a feeble word for some accidental event, this word for sin turned out to be exceedingly rich in meaning and laid a foundation for the full presentation of the redemptive act of God.”

In Kaingang, the translation is “break God’s word” and in Sandawe the original meaning of the Greek term (see above) is perfectly reflected with “miss the mark.” (Source: Ursula Wiesemann in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 36ff., 43)

In Warao it is translated as “bad 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.

Martin Ehrensvärd, one of the translators for the Danish Bibelen 2020, comments on the translation of this term: “We would explain terms, such that e.g. sin often became ‘doing what God does not want’ or ‘breaking God’s law’, ‘letting God down’, ‘disrespecting God’, ‘doing evil’, ‘acting stupidly’, ‘becoming guilty’. Now why couldn’t we just use the word sin? Well, sin in contemporary Danish, outside of the church, is mostly used about things such as delicious but unhealthy foods. Exquisite cakes and chocolates are what a sin is today.” (Source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )

See also sinner.

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 10:29

But: The transition word is important in this case since what follows shows that in spite of doing away with the worship of Baal, Jehu was not faithful to the God of Israel. The Hebrew text does not use the common conjunction in this case. Rather, it has a word meaning “only” or “nevertheless” (see 2 Kgs 3.3). Here it may be best translated “However” (New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible, New American Bible) or “Even so” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Did not turn aside: This may be translated as a negative expression in a variety of ways, for example, “did not … abandon” (Revised English Bible), “did not stop doing” (New Century Version), and “did not give up” (New Jerusalem Bible). On the other hand, in certain languages it may be more natural to make it a positive statement, such as “kept on following” or “continued to imitate.”

For the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, see the comments at 1 Kgs 16.31 and 2 Kgs 3.3.

He made Israel to sin: These words render a causative form of the verb “to sin” in Hebrew (see the comments at 1 Kgs 14.16). The people of Israel had been led by Jeroboam into behavior that was contrary to the will of Yahweh. In languages where the causative form of the verb “sin” is difficult, a verbal expression like one of the following may be used: “he led the people of Israel into committing sin” or “he encouraged the people of Israel to sin.”

The golden calves that were in Bethel, and in Dan: The original story of King Jeroboam setting up the two golden calves is told in 1 Kgs 12.28-29 (see the comments there). This also brings to mind the golden calf created by Aaron and the other Israelites while Moses was on Mount Sinai (Exo 32).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .