cattle, livestock

The Hebrew that is translated in English as “livestock” (or “cattle”) is translated in Newari as “living beings brought up in a house” or “living beings cared for in a house” (Source: Newari Back Translation)

In Kwere it is “animals that are being kept.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

wild animal

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated in English as “wild animal” or similar is translated in Newari as “animal that lives in the jungle.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)

creeping things, reptiles

The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated in English as “reptiles” or “creeping things” or similar is translated as “those which crawl along upon their stomach” in San Mateo del Mar Huave, “those that crawl the way they travel” in Chichimeca-Jonaz, and “animals that crawl on the ground” in Lalana Chinantec. (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

In Nyamwezi it is translated as as vitundwa vya ku’yu’mba or “creatures that move.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See also every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature.

God said ‘Let there be . . .

The Hebrew that is translated as “And God said, ‘Let there be…” in English is translated in Yoruba as “God commanded that there should be…” (Bibeli Mimọ Yorùbá, 2010).

Solomon Abegunde explains (in The Bible Translator 1991, p, 242ff. ): “When God speaks, for instance, in the [Yoruban] way of thinking he speaks with the authority of a king. He does not need to ask permission from anybody to do what he wants to do. Translators should be aware of this as they translate the words ‘Let there be’ in Genesis 1. The extension of his personality comes out more forcefully if the Hebrew is rendered ‘Be’ and the verb is translated ‘commanded’ rather than ‘said.'”

complete verse (Genesis 1:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 1:24:

  • Kankanaey: “Then God said that there-would be all kinds of creatures on this earth (lit. soil), the domesticated (i.e. bred-and-raised) and wild animals, those that crawl and that slither, and it was accomplished/fulfilled.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “God said — ‘May there be domesticated animals [lit.: those brought up in a house], those that go creeping on the earth, and all kinds of animals that live in the jungle.’ And it happened just like that.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Then God said, ‘Let- the different kinds of animals -live on land: animals that are tame and wild, big and small.’ And it happened/was-made.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then God said, ‘I want various kinds of creatures to appear on the earth. There will be many kinds of livestock/domestic animals, creatures that scurry across the ground, and large wild animals.’ And that is what happened.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 1:24

The sixth day of creation begins with verse 24, in which land animals are created. Verses 26-30 go on to describe the creation of human beings, and the food provision for animals and human beings.

And God said: see Gen 1.3 and Gen 1.6.

Let the earth bring forth living creatures is a command addressed to the earth as the place where these creatures are to live, the same as in the case of the waters in verse 20. Living creatures is the same as in verse 20; however, here the expression is used of land animals in general, which are then described more fully in terms of a threefold classification.

According to their kinds means “all kinds,” as in verse 11.

Cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth expresses more fully what is meant by living creatures. Cattle translates a word that here refers to domestic animals. See also 34.23; 47.18. Creeping things refers not only to reptiles like snakes, lizards, or turtles, but also to insects, rodents, and all kinds of small animals. Beasts of the earth is literally “living things of the earth,” referring to wild animals, or perhaps dangerous animals. According to their kinds is as in verses 11 and 21 and means “all kinds.”

And it was so: see verse 7.

Most languages do not classify animals as domesticated, wild, and creeping. However, many do make clear distinctions between domesticated and wild animals. In some cases this is done by using descriptive terms; for example, domesticated animals may be “animals of the garden, field, grassland, farm”; wild animals may be “animals of the forest, hills, mountains, uncultivated lands.” In many languages it is difficult to get an adequate translation of creeping things that will include reptiles, insects, and other small four-footed animals. Accordingly it may be necessary to say, for example, “all other animals and insects,” “all reptiles, small animals, and insects,” or simply “all other animals that crawl on the ground.” Since creeping things are usually wild, it may be possible to say for the three classes “tame animals, large wild animals, and small wild animals” or “all kinds of animals: tame and wild, large and small” (Good News Translation). As suggested in verse 11, translators may find it more meaningful to use the local animal classification, provided, of course, that it includes all land animals and not just certain ones. A typical way of covering all animals in the Pacific setting is “animals of the village, and large and small animals of the bush.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .