lamb

The term that is translated as “lamb” in English is typically translated as “offspring of a sheep” in Ixcatlán Mazatec since there is no specific word for “lamb.” Since this could distract readers with thoughts of God being the sheep when the “lamb” refers to Jesus the translation into Ixcatlán Mazatec chose “little (individual) sheep” for those cases. (Source: Robert Bascom)

In Dëne Súline the native term for “lamb” directly translated as “the young one of an evil little caribou.” To avoid the negative connotation, a loan word from the neighboring South Slavey was used. (Source: NCAM, p. 70)

For the Kasua translation, it took a long process to find the right term. Rachel Greco (in The PNG Experience) tells this story:

“To the Kasua people of Western Province, every four-legged animal is a pig. They call a horse a pig-horse, a cow, a pig-cow, and a sheep, a pig-sheep, because all of these animals have four legs, which is kopolo, or pig, in their language.

“When the translation team would translate the word, ‘sheep’ in the New Testament, they would translate it as ‘pig-sheep’. So when Jesus is referred to as the ‘Lamb,’ (John 1:29; Rev. 12:11; Rev. 17:14), they translated as ‘pig-sheep’ so that in John 1:29 it would read: ‘Behold, the pig-sheep of God.’

“When some members of the translation team attended the Translators Training Course, they had the opportunity to observe and study sheep for the first time. As they watched and learned more about the animals’ behavior, their understanding of these creatures—and God’s Word—rotated on its axis.

“Once during the course, Logan and Konni — the translation team’s helpers — were driving with the team to a Bible dedication when Amos, one of the team members, said passionately, ‘We can’t use the word kopolo in front of the word, ‘sheep’! Pigs know when they’re about to die and squeal and scream.’ The team had often watched villagers tie up pigs so they wouldn’t escape.

“’But,’ Amos said, ‘Jesus didn’t do that.’ The team had learned that sheep are quiet and still when death walks toward them. They had observed, as they translated the New Testament, the words of Isaiah 53 fulfilled: ‘Like a lamb led to the slaughter, he did not open his mouth.’ And now they understood what it meant. For this reason, the team decided not to put pig-sheep in the New Testament for the word ‘sheep,’ but used sheep-animal or, in their language, a:pele sipi.

“The Kasua translation team also chose to discard the word ‘pig’ before sheep because pigs are unclean animals to the Jews. The team knew that Jesus was called the ‘Lamb of God’ in the New Testament to show that he is unblemished and clean. Hopefully the Lord will open up the Kasua villagers’ eyes to these same truths about Jesus as they read of Him in their own language.”

See also sheep.

Translation commentary on Leviticus 17:3, Lev 17:4

In Hebrew, verses 3-5 constitute one long sentence, but this should be broken down into shorter and simpler sentences in the receptor language. Verses 3-4 together form one part of the law forbidding the killing of a sacrificial animal anywhere other than at the entrance of the Tent of the LORD’s presence. HOTTP provides a long discussion of the textual problem in these two verses. The Greek Septuagint and the Hebrew of the Samaritan Pentateuch have a longer text which adds the words “to make it a burnt offering, or peace offerings or shared offerings, so as to be accepted, as a pleasing odor….” These words come immediately after “… tent of meeting….” This reading is recommended by HOTTP but is not adopted by any major modern version. Translators may therefore wish to follow the traditional text and, if necessary, add a simple footnote stating that the longer text exists.

Any man of the house of Israel: that is, any member of the tribe of Israel, or more simply “any Israelite.”

Kills: this Hebrew verb, sometimes translated “slaughter” (Exo 29.16), suggests the usual mode of killing for sacrifice, which included cutting the throat of the animal to be offered and allowing its blood to drain out. In those cultures where this practice is customary, the translator should use the corresponding technical terms, provided they are well known. Where no such technical terms exist, a more generic formulation may be used.

An ox … a lamb … a goat …: see 7.23.

In the camp … outside the camp …: this entire construction is a rather awkward way of saying “any place other than at the entrance of the Tent.”

Tabernacle: this term literally means “dwelling place” and is synonymous with the “tent of meeting,” as in 8.10 and 15.31. The translation should therefore probably be the same, in order to avoid confusing the reader or hearer.

Bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man: this should probably be restructured in most languages. Some possibilities are “that man shall be considered guilty of spilling blood,” or “they [indefinite] shall count that man guilty of shedding blood,” or “they shall hold him responsible for pouring out blood.”

Cut off from among his people: see 7.20. New Jerusalem Bible translates here “that man will be outlawed from his people.” Other possible translations are “he shall be isolated” or “his people shall have nothing more to do with him.”

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .