anoint

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “anoint” is translated in Lakota with azilyA: “to smudge.”

Steve Berneking (in Beerle-Moor / Voinov, p. 121) tells the story of that translation:

“During one visit with the Lakota team, we were reading texts and discussing key biblical terms and how they are best rendered into Lakota. Reference was made to the ritual we label ‘anointing.’ When the Lakota word that had been glossed as ‘anoint’ was read aloud, I heard giggling among the reviewers. Knowing that this reaction called for some explanation, I asked.

“The people there told me that the Lakota verb that was used to translate ‘anoint’ was funny in that context. It is not that the verb is an uncommon one; quite the contrary. Lakota uses that verb frequently, but almost exclusively as a verb of food preparation; the verb belongs to the culinary domain. In other words, the Lakota verb used for ‘anoint’ actually referred to rubbing oil on something that was to be cooked or grilled, in this case, the apostles. The Lakota verb ipáṫaŋṫtaŋ ‘to apply oil on something’ was used quite innocently by the missionaries. The linguistic transfer was understandable: the missionaries needed a verb to translate ‘putting oil on something’; Lakota has a verb; they used that verb. The result was comical. So, during that conversation with the Lakota community, I encouraged the translators to come up with a Lakota verb that is used not simply in ‘the application of oil,’ but more pointedly in the consecration of something or somebody for a special task, or in the appointment of someone for a special purpose. Their response was almost immediate: azilyA or wazílyA ‘to smudge.’ That is how, they told me, warriors and messengers and tribal leaders have always been consecrated (or blessed) before being sent out on a special mission. Sage grass was burned, and the smoke was waved over the person or object. The trans-cultural process of using the traditional Lakota verb azilyA for the biblical notion of ‘anoint’ became, at that moment, part of the Lakota Bible.”

In Bashkir, it is translated as masekhlay (мәсехләү), when used in a ritual context. Masekhlay has the same root than masikh (мәсих), which is used both for “anointed one” in the Old Testament and in its capitalized form (Мәсих) for Μεσσίας (engl. “Messiah”) and Χριστός (engl. “Christ”) in the New Testament. For more information about this, see anointed one.

In Vidunda it is translated as “smear oil.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Click or tap here to see a short video clip showing how anointing was done in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also anoint (chrió) and anointing of David (image).

human head hair

The Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew that is translated as “hair” in English is translated in Tzeltal as stsotsil sjol (Tzeltal de Oxchuc y Tenejapa) / stsotsel sjol (Tzeltal Bachajón): “blanket for the head.” (Source: Slocum / Watkins 1988, p. 35)

See also hair (body hair) and hairy (like Esau).

The Seventh Commandment (image)

Painting by Wang Suda 王肅達 (1910-1963),
Copyright by the Catholic University Peking, China

Text under painting translated from Literary Chinese into English:
The Seventh Commandment
The holy woman washes the Lord, a wicked disciple chastises her

Image taken from Chinese Christian Posters . For more information on the “Ars Sacra Pekinensis” school of art, see this article , for other artworks of that school in TIPs, see here.

fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (John 12:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 12:3:

  • Uma: “While they were eating, Maria came carrying a half liter of fragrant oil. That oil was made from fragrant tree roots, it was very expensive. She poured that oil on Yesus’s feet and wiped them with her hair. How fragrant it was all through the house!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then Mariyam took fragrant oil called narda, half a kilo it’s weight. This fragrant oil was very valuable and nothing was mixed in with it. Mariyam sprinkled/watered this fragrant oil on Isa’s feet and then she wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for Mary, she took a salmon of nard-type perfume which was very expensive, and she came to Jesus, and she applied it to the feet of Jesus, and she wiped the feet of Jesus with her hair. And the smell went through the whole house.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When that was so, Maria took half a liter of pure nard (loan nardo) which was a most-expensive perfume. And she poured it on Jesus’ feet while wiping-them with her hair. And the house was filled with its fragrance.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “What Maria did, she fetched first-class perfume which was very expensive, about two cupfuls. She poured it on the feet/legs of Jesus. After she’d poured it, she wiped them with her hair. The nice-smell of that perfume went all over the inside of the house.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Mary then bought about half a liter of good oil which smelled good and was very expensive. She anointed Jesus’ feet. Then she wiped them with her hair. There in the house the oil smell filled it.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 12:3

In the Greek structure of this verse there are only two main verbs (poured … wiped), while took is a participle. For English readers it is more natural to restructure the statement as Good News Translation and several other translations do.

A whole pint (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “a bottle”) is rendered in most translations “a pound” (Phillips “a whole pound”). This Greek word appears only here and in John 19.39 in the New Testament. It corresponds to the Roman pound of 12 ounces, or 327.45 grams. Good News Translation translates a whole pint because of the word perfume that follows. The word translated perfume in Good News Translation and most other translations may also have the meaning of “ointment” (Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible). It is not certain which is referred to, but the indication is that it was a liquid rather than a salve, and so most translations have perfume. It is true that perfume was sold by weight, rather than by volume, but it is more natural to speak either of “a bottle of perfume” or “a pint of perfume” than of “a pound of perfume”; and so Good News Translation renders a whole pint … of perfume. What is important is not the kind of measurement, but the large amount involved and its high value. If the metric system is used, a whole pint may be rendered “about half a liter.”

Very expensive is not the same word used in the Markan account (14.3), but the meaning is basically the same. Most translations have the meaning of either expensive or “costly.” The word translated pure in Good News Translation (Greek pistikos) is rendered “pure” or “real” (“genuine”) in most translations. The word itself is of uncertain meaning, and other meanings given to it are “liquid,” “spike” (referring to the hair root of the nard plant from which the oil was derived), or “mixed with pistachio oil.” Among modern translators Goodspeed (“liquid spikenard”) is apparently the only one who gives the meaning of “liquid.” He translates nard with the meaning of “spikenard,” which is a synonym. The nard plant grows in the mountains of northern India, and from its root and hair stem is derived a very fragrant oil used in perfumes and ointments.

In some languages it may be necessary to specify the various attributives of the perfume by means of separate statements. The first statement may be simply “Then Mary took a whole pint of perfume,” which may be followed by such qualifiers as “This perfume cost a great deal of money, and it was made completely from a plant called nard” or “… it was made only from nard.” It may be useful to indicate by a marginal note the nature of the plant called “nard.” However, this cultural feature is not important. In most translations no reference is made to the plant from which the perfume was extracted.

The term one uses to translate poured will depend primarily upon the type of substance suggested by the translation of “perfume.” If a liquid is suggested, then obviously a term meaning “to pour” would be appropriate. If, however, “an ointment” is indicated, then such a term as “to put on” or “to rub on” would be required.

In rendering wiped them with her hair, the reference should be primarily to the wiping of the feet, not the wiping off of the nard.

The sweet smell of the perfume filled the whole house translates a passive Greek construction (“the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume”). It may not be possible to say “the sweet smell filled the whole house.” However, one can often say “people throughout the house smelled this sweet odor” or “… smelled the good perfume.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .