lion

There are no lions in Bawm country, so the Bawm Chin translation uses “a tiger with a mane” where the Greek term for “lion” is used and in Sranan Tongo the “roaring lion” in 1 Peter 5:8 is a krasi tigri, an “aggressive tiger.”

In the Kahua culture, lions are not known either so the Kahua translation used “fierce animal.”

In 1 Peter 5:8, the Uripiv translation uses “a hungry shark” instead of a roaring lion.

Sources: David Clark for Bawm Chin and Kahua, Japini 2015, p. 33, for Sranan Tongo, and Ross McKerras for Uripiv)

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)

Translation commentary on Proverbs 30:30

“The lion, which is the mightiest among beasts”: “Mightiest among beasts” is literally “a mighty one among beasts.” Good News Translation “strongest of all animals” expresses this well.

“And does not turn back before any”: This means essentially the same as the previous line. “Does not turn back” may be taken to mean “is not afraid of” or “does not run away from”; so Good News Translation has “afraid of none,” Contemporary English Version “fearless,” and New International Version “who retreats before nothing.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .