TRANSLATING THE WORD

THE URGENT NEED FOR A CONTEMPORARY URHOBO LANGUAGE BIBLE VERSION

Abstract

The Urhobo language, spoken by millions in Nigeria, lacks a modern Bible translation that resonates with its native speakers. The existing translation, done decades ago, contains archaic language and cultural references that hinder comprehension and engagement. This paper aims to do a critical review of the hard copy of the Urhobo Holy Bible (Baibol Ofuanfon na), first published by the Bible Society of Nigeria in 1977, with a view to producing a contemporary version. The Urhobo Bible, which was translated by a team of Urhobo scholars and clergymen, no doubt was one of the most outstanding achievements recorded in the history of Urhobo. Since 1978, when the complete Urhobo Bible came into public glare, it has proved an invaluable resource material to adherents of the Christian faith, especially gospel ministers. However, this work argues that the time has come for a review of the hard copy of the Urhobo Bible following obvious errors in translation, missing verses, wrong spellings, poor punctuation, etc. It’s time to have a new version that will take care of these errors as well as changes that have occurred over time in the meaning of some words and expressions found in ancient Urhobo and make it more comprehensible and relevant to today’s readers. Besides, the new version should be true to the original King James version with cross references. The need for a modern Urhobo language Bible version is not just a theological imperative but also a cultural and missiological necessity.