Lost in Translation

Via my internship, I got a paid translation job that I mentioned awhile ago. It's a book about forgiveness that I'm translating from English to French. I really like the book, and appreciate its consistent reliance on the Bible to support its points.

This has also been the greatest challenge in getting things done efficiently, as I have to then find all of the Bible verses in French. Easier said than done. Often times, the verses are numbered differently, thus making the citations incorrect. Sometimes the phrasing is so different that I'm afraid what the author is trying to express isn't the same anymore; I have to add on a few surrounding verses in order to clarify things. From a translator's view, things can be pretty frustrating.

So instead I decided to look at it as someone trying to grow in Christ and understand God's word more fully. I have to read each verse carefully in both English and French in order to communicate clearly to the reader. This is a truly wonderful experience when I approach it with this attitude.

One of my favorite passages from today's work:

“If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land. You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. I will turn to you and make you fruitful and multiply you and will confirm my covenant with you. You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new. I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

Leviticus 26:3-13 (Look at this, all you who hate on Leviticus!)