An Experiment in Bible Translation AN EXP E RIM E NT 3 IN BI B L E TR A NSL A TION This study sketches a complete arc from the impact at worldview level of covenant concepts in the Hebrew of the Old Testament to impact at worldview level among present-day Lomwe-speakers in northern Mozambique. It uses the challenge of adequately translating one Biblical Hebrew word, BERITH, to address missiological issues relevant throughout Africa. It proposes muloko wa Muluku, ‘people of God’ as a powerful integrating framework. Stuart Foster is a missionary with SIM (Serving in Mission) who has worked in Mozambique for over 20 years. He serves as exegete on the Bible Society’s Lomwe translation team and is a Research Associate at the University of Stellenbosch. 3 Stuart Foster ISBN 978-1-920109-77-6 Stuart Foster 7819209 109776 www.africansunmedia.co.za The mission of the Centre for Bible Interpretation and Translation is to serve Bible interpretation and translation academically. The Centre is situated in the Department of Ancient Studies (Faculty of Arts) and Department of Old and New Testament (Faculty of Theology) at the University of Stellenbosch. Most of the contributions in this series are the results of doctoral projects facilitated by the Centre. The projects typically address problems that Bible translators and interpreters have to face on a daily basis. L C Jonker, J Punt and C H J van der Merwe (executive committee of the Centre) AN EXPERIMENT IN BIBLE TRANSLATION AS TRANSCULTURAL COMMUNICATION The translation of ‘covenant’ into Lomwe, with a focus on Leviticus 26 Stuart Jeremy Foster An Experiment in Bible Translation as Transcultural Communication Published by SUN PReSS, an imprint of AFRICAN SUN MeDIA (Pty) Ltd, Stellenbosch 7600 www.africansunmedia.co.za www.sun-e-shop.co.za All rights reserved. Copyright © 2008 Stellenbosch University, S.J. Foster This book is based on the dissertation presented for the degree of DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY in Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Stellenbosch on April 2005. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic, photographic or mechanical means, including photocopying and recording on record, tape or laser disk, on microfilm, via the Internet, by e-mail, or by any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission by the publisher. First edition 2008 ISBN: 978-1-920109-77-6 E-ISBN: 978-1-920109-33-2 DOI: 10.18820/9781920109332 Cover design by Soretha Botha Typesetting by AFRICAN SUN MeDIA (Pty) Ltd. Set in 10/13 Arial Narrow SUN PReSS is an imprint of AFRICAN SUN MeDIA (Pty) Ltd. Academic, professional and reference works in print and electronic format are published under this imprint. This publication may be ordered directly from www.sun-e-shop.co.za CONTENT ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................... I ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................................... III ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................................................... V SELECTED BIBLICAL BOOKS ..................................................................................................................... VII CHAPTER 1: THE PROBLEM OF COMMUNICATING COVENANT .................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Thesis ......................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Flow of Argument ....................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Lomwe and its speakers ............................................................................................................ 3 1.5 Assumptions ............................................................................................................................... 4 1.6 Method of Approach ................................................................................................................... 7 1.7 A definition of , ‘covenant’ in biblical Hebrew in its ANE context ................................... 12 1.8 Survey of covenant in theological literature in Africa ................................................................ 18 1.9 Chapter conclusion .................................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 2: LEVITICUS 26—TEXT AND COTEXT ....................................................................................... 25 2.1 Preliminaries ............................................................................................................................... 25 2.2 Analysis of Leviticus 26 .............................................................................................................. 27 2.3 Leviticus 26 and its cotext .......................................................................................................... 45 2.4 Chapter conclusion .................................................................................................................... 54 CHAPTER 3: LEVITICUS 26—WORLDVIEW AND IMPACT ............................................................................. 57 3.1 A worldview analysis of Leviticus 26 ......................................................................................... 57 3.2 The historical setting of Leviticus 26 and its covenant concepts .............................................. 64 3.3 The ancient impact of covenant concepts ................................................................................. 74 3.4 Chapter conclusion .................................................................................................................... 81 CHAPTER 4: LOMWE CULTURE AND WORLDVIEW ...................................................................................... 83 4.1 Traditional Lomwe social structure and worldview .................................................................... 85 4.2 A worldview analysis of songs in Lomwe-speaking churches .................................................. 98 4.3 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 114 CHAPTER 5: PREACHING LEVITICUS 26 IN LOMWE .................................................................................... 117 5.1 Details of the experiment ........................................................................................................... 117 5.2 Analysis of the sermons ............................................................................................................. 119 5.3 Communicating covenant in these sermons ............................................................................. 133 5.4 Chapter conclusion .................................................................................................................... 138 CHAPTER 6: SUMMARY AND PROPOSALS ................................................................................................. 139 6.1 Summary of the argument ......................................................................................................... 139 6.2 Proposals for communicating covenant .................................................................................... 142 6.3 An integrating proposal: Muloko wa Muluku ............................................................................. 147 6.4 Suggestions for further study ..................................................................................................... 157 6.5 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 158 APPENDIX A: LOMWE CHURCH SONGS .................................................................................................... 159 APPENDIX B: LOMWE TEXT OF LEVITICUS 26 WITH ENGLISH BACK TRANSLATION ...................................... 213 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................................ 217 ABSTRACT The narrow question is how best to translate into Lomwe the biblical Hebrew term , ‘covenant’. But this question draws in many other issues when the contextual nature of communication is taken into account. Using Leviticus 26 as a focus text, this study sketches a complete arc from the impact at worldview level of covenant concepts in the original to impact at worldview level among present-day Lomwe-speakers in northern Mozambique. This study defends a definition of covenant in its ancient Near Eastern context as a chosen relationship of mutual obligation guaranteed by oath sanctions. A close reading of Leviticus 26 in its literary contexts highlights the integrating role of covenant in the Old Testament. Used for Yahweh and his people, covenant language stressed that the relationship was exclusive, secure, accountable and purposeful. However, Lomwe-speakers are traditionally matrilineal with no adequate analogues to ancient covenantal customs. Protestant Christians among them, who have not had