Ruth 1 in oral adaptation in Fang

Following is a back-translation of Ruth 1 from a song presented in the traditional Fang troubadour style (mvét oyeng) as part of a project by Bethany and Andrew Case. (For more information about this, see Case / Case 2019)

Verse 1 – It happened that, in the time of the chiefs, they were governing Israel, and hunger came there to the regions of those lands.

2 – It came about that a man of the town that they call Bethlehem, the clans of the lands of Ephrata, they called him Elimelek.

Then he moved from there, he moved, saying, “I will try to go and live in the regions of the lands of Moab.”

When he went there, he went with [his] wife, [his] wife Naomi, and his two sons, his grown sons.

One was named Mahlon, and the other was Kilion.

All those were people of Ephrata.

After they arrived in Moab there, then they lived there, living.

3 – It came about that Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and Naomi was left a widow. (Click or tap here to see the rest.

4/5 – Left like that, [with] only just one thing her two sons, when they were left, then these two sons also married two girls, young Moabite women.

One of them was named Orpah, and the other was named Ruth.

And it came about that after ten years passed, ten years, then these two sons of hers also died there, beginning with Malon and Kilion.

Then Naomi was left only all alone [lit. point and point: a bird’s beak from which its worm has fallen] with nothing.

6 – Then it came about that Naomi, living in Moab [unclear].

There she found out that Yahweh had had compassion on her town’s/people’s pain, the famine had ended, ending.

7 – Then Naomi said there that, “right now, I’m going back to Judah.”

When she was returning, then she went together with her two daughter-in-laws.

They left the place where they were and at that time they went.

8 – When they were walking on the road, then she said to them, “Oh my daughters-in-law, go back to your houses, to the houses of your mothers, please go back.”

9 – “I ask Yahweh that he treat you well at all times just like you also treated me and my sons.”

“I continually repeatedly again and again ask that Yahweh give you a place that is just and solid/secure, that he give you homes and also give you new husbands.”

Then Naomi kissed them on the cheeks, a goodbye kiss.

10 – Then the girls wept and they said “We will not go back, oh Naomi, we will go with you to your land.”

11 – Then Naomi insisted again, and said to them, “O my daughters, please go back.”

“Do you really wish to return with me, to go and do what?”

I can no longer again have other children for them to again marry you, please go back to your homes.

12 – I am too old, I cannot again go into marriage.

Even if I did also go into it, and bear two sons this night, oh my daughters, would you begin to wait again for these sons, for them to be your husbands?

13 – In this time you are without husbands, and for how long?

No no, oh my daughters, my evil is too great, and surpasses yours [lit. my evil it exaggerates with bigness to pass this with yours].

The hand of Yahweh has struck me, striking.”

14 – Then they opened their mouths (wept), they were crying.

After they finished crying, then Orpha afterward went to kiss [her] mother-in-law, kissing goodbye.

Then Ruth, she insisted to her that she would not go.

15 – Then Naomi said to her, “Look, the other has gone to her people.

Go youuuu too with her to the place where your gods are, go with her.”

Ñeŋǃ

16 – Then Ruth answered her, “Don’t you ask me that I separate from you.

Don’t you ask me that I separate from you.”

Because the place where you go, to it also I will go.

The place where you’re going to live, there also I am going to live.

Your people this also will be my people.

Your god this too will be my god.

17 – The place where you will die, in this also I will die, I tell you truly (lit. truth and truth).

I say that may Yahweh strike me, may he punish me severely (lit. [punish me with real punishment]) if I separate from you except only that death do it.”

18 – Then it happened that, when Naomi saw that Ruth insisted [with] real insistence [firmness], she didn’t insist anymore, then she said, “Let’s go”.

They began to walk, they’re going, they’re going.

19 – When it happened that they have already entered Bethlehem, that they have already arrived.

Then there in the town people began going and looking, [saying], “wow, but who is this?

Who is this?

Is it not Naomi who’s coming over there?

Yes, wow, it is Naomi.

Aáaáaáa

Aaáǃ

20 – After Naomi knew that she was the one they were talking about, then she said, “Don’t call me again Naomi.

Naomi means I have a glad heart, I am well.

And now that I’m here, please call me Mara because God Almighty has given me bitter and bitter, bitter and bitter, this has filled my body.

21 – When I left here to go, I left here [with] my hands full.

When I was returning now, I was coming [with] my hands now emptied, because thus Yahweh has wanted it, so why do you again call me Naomi?

When Yahweh, he who is all-powerful has lowered me to the ground, this kind of punishment that I have here.”

22 – In that way, Naomi returned to Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth, she who is a young Moabite woman.

In that way, they arrived in Bethlehem, finding that the time of harvesting food had arrived.

Translation commentary on Ruth 1:15: A Cultural Commentary for Central Africa

The expression “her gods” is problematic in Chitonga because Leza is regarded as being sui generis; therefore, no plural is possible, except perhaps as a reference to the ancestral spirits. But for Naomi to say that Orpah had “gone back . . . to her ancestors” would represent a direct transculturization of the original, and this is not a valid translation option when producing a version that takes the biblical sociocultural context seriously. The solution in this instance is not difficult, namely, to adopt the alternative (and more likely) interpretation, “her god” (i.e., Chemosh, 1 Kg 11:33).

We also note in passing that the Tonga would generally consider their God to be the same as the Chewa God, Chauta, except for the mere variation in name, and vice-versa. The difference between these two peoples in specific religious belief and practice, however, is recognized and forms an important barrier that separates them.

Source: Wendland 1987, p. 170.

Translation commentary on Ruth 1:15

The Hebrew text at the beginning of verse 15 has simply “and she said.” However, it is important to indicate clearly the translation between this paragraph and what has preceded by introducing some such particle as So. It may also be necessary to specify the participants, both Naomi and Ruth, Septuagint has “and Naomi said”; in the Syriac version we read: “and her mother-in-law said.” Compare also Moffatt and NEB. as in Good News Translation.

In a number of languages sister-in-law is rendered as “co-wife,” since in many societies the wives of brothers call each other “co-wives” or “co-spouses.” In some instances one may have to use a descriptive expression; for example, “the wife of your husband’s brother.” In a number of languages there are two quite distinct expressions for sister-in-law, one term designating a brother’s wife and the other term specifying the sister of one’s wife. These quite distinct relations may be marked by entirely different terms.

In some languages one cannot speak of her people or her god, for one does not possess a people or a god. The first expression may be rendered in some languages as “the tribe to which she belongs,” “the people of which she is a part,” or “the people with whom she is counted”; and her god may be rendered as “the god whom she worships” or “the god to whom she prays.”

Though a few translations have “gods,” there is no firm basis for using the plural. The god of the Moabites was Chemosh The Syriac translator of Ruth did not like the mention of pagan gods and therefore changed the expression into “to the house of her parents.” (see 1 Kgs 11.33).

In translating the term god one should generally use the most generic term for deity. See the discussion in Nida, Bible Translating, 13.1. However, if one normally uses an expression such as “the Eternal Spirit” as a translation of “God,” it would not be possible to use the same expression in this context. It might then be necessary to use some such expression as “the spirit whom she worships.”

The expression Go back home with her is emphatic, and some ancient translations even have an additional expression emphasizing the return. Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac version read: “return also yourself.” In order to show the relation between the advice to Ruth and what Orpah had already done, it may be useful to introduce an emphatic pronoun: “you yourself should go back home with her.”

Quoted with permission from de Waard, Jan and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Ruth. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1978, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .