Thursday, November 3, 2011

Oh be careful little translator what you say...#2

Here's another example of why Bible translators must be extremely precise and why Bible translation is a slow process.

In Vietnamese, the word [ma] with a falling-rising mid tone means 'tomb.'

Therefore, when translating the resurrection of Jesus in Luke 24 the translator must be very careful or he might say,
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the 'horse.' [ma] with a rising high tone.
They found the stone rolled away from the 'rice,' [ma] with a falling low tone.
When they came back from the 'ghost,' they told all these things to the eleven and to all the others. [ma] with a falling mid tone.
Peter, however, got up and ran to the 'cheek.' [ma] with a rising high tone.
Tone languages are beautiful and very complex.  But a careful Bible translator will accurately communicate God's beautiful Word.


(the real verses are
Luke 24:1,2,9,12 "On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, when they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the eleven and to all the others.  Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb.")