computers and clouds

Last week the translation team attended a workshop about our translation computer programme, Paratext, in Parakou. Here you can see all the participants (except me!):

And here are Pastor Samuel and Philémon listening intently:

Back in the office this week, and I'm all on my own as my translators are taking their annual leave...

... but working on three computers at once. Perhaps it's because I was afraid the computers would get lonely ... or perhaps I thought it would stop me from feeling too lonely ... or maybe it is just that after last week's workshop I wanted to get all our computer files up to date!

The translators have taken their annual leave to go and work in their fields, preparing the ground and planting. The rains have started, and so we are seeing lots of skies like these (both photos taken today):

(It's a pity about the electric wires getting in the way, especially since they do us no good at all!)

tired eyes?

Last week we were working on Job chapter 31 and in verse 16 the Hebrew speaks of Job (hypothetically) causing the eyes of the widow to fail. The idea is that she would have hoped to receive charity from him which never came.

One of the French versions says "si j'ai laissé les yeux de la veuve s'épuiser", "if I let the widow's eyes become exhausted". This seems to be what gave the Monkolé draft which said, "mà ǹ nɔ ǹ jɔ̀ jaaɔ̃ gɔ í cɔ sim kpãai ngɔgɔ hee ijuɛ í gbɛɛji", literally "or did I let a widow hope* something from me until her eye was tired". As we worked through the draft together, one of my translators said, "we'll have to take out the words 'her eye', because eyes can't get tired [in Monkolé], only people can" but the other translator said, "or we can leave 'her eye', but say 'was dry'".

So our version now has the widow watching until her eye is dry. I love these little details which should make our Bible sound more Monkolé!

*And as an added note, "to hope" in Monkolé is "to watch the path"