Description
by Duane S. Crowther
This book, THE BOOK of MORMON SPANISH TO ENGLISH TRANSLATION GUIDE, is a great comprehension aid, a super time saver, and an excellent vocabulary tutor! Reading scripture is far different from reading a newspaper or novel. Many terms encountered in sacred writings are rarely used in non-religious contexts: words like “blessed art thou,” “he that repenteth,” and “yea, they did cry Hosanna,” and hundreds of others. One of the most significant challenges in scripture translations is that words used in one language often have no direct equivalent in another. Learning to speak Spanish is a challenge for thousands of new Latter-day Saint missionaries every year. They learn the language basics at an amazing rate in Missionary Training Centers, but when they arrive in their mission fields, they still are far from prepared to read complex books of scripture. Sometime in the early part of their missions they receive a challenge to read The Book of Mormon. Then they discover that much of Book of Mormon vocabulary is beyond their current learning level. Often they don’t recognize twenty or more words per chapter, and many of those words aren’t found in basic bi-language dictionaries. Recognizing this problem, the author marked more than 2,900 difficult Spanish words and phrases in a Spanish Libro de Mormón. He listed them on his computer, verse by verse, for every chapter. Then he identified the English words and phrases from which they actually were translated and listed them for all of those difficult Spanish terms. Now, since they have been published here in a convenient e-book format, they are readily available. With this valuable tool, those reading The Book of Mormon in Spanish only rarely will have to interrupt their reading to leaf through a dictionary in a time-consuming quest for understanding. Obviously Spanish speakers trying to read The Book of Mormon in English can use the process in reverse and enjoy the same benefits. This book is the result of literally hundreds of hours of work, but it truly has been a labor of love. May it bless your lives as you read The Book of Mormon, as it has blessed mine! Sincerely yours, Duane S. Crowther.
Example: 1 Nephi chapter 1 [verse, spanish term, english term]
1 no obstante – nevertheless
1 altamente – highly favored
1 logrado – had
1 bondad – goodness
2 lenguaje – language
3 arreglo – according
3 conocimientos – knowledge
4 reinado – reign
4 morado – dwelt
5 Aconteció – It came to pass
6 mientras – as
6 se estremeció – he did quake
6 extremadamente – exceedingly
7 sucedió – it came to pass
7 lecho – bed
8 dominado – overcome
8 arrebatado – carried away
8 rodeado – surrounded
8 concursos – concourses
9 resplandor – luster
10 brillo – brightness
11 faz – face
11 leyera – should read
13 habitantes – inhabitants
13 perecerían – should perish
14 acaeció – it came to pass
14 prorrumpió – did exclaim
14 Todopoderoso – Almighty
14 alturas – high
14 misericordia – mercy
14 misericordioso – merciful
14 perecer – perish
15 se regocijaba – did rejoice
15 henchido – filled
16 cuenta entera – full account
17 compendio – account
17 compendiado – abridged
18 quisiera – I would
18 supieseis – ye would know
18 mostrado – shown
19 se bularon – did mock
19 maldades – wickedness
19 abominaciones – abominations
19 redención – redemption
20 se irritaron – were angry
20 antigüedad – of old
20 apedreado – stoned
20 matado – slain
20 procuraron – sought
20 entrañables – tender
20 fortalecerlos – make them mighty