Improved Translation Brings Benefits

For many years the brothers in Myanmar used a 19th-century vernacular Bible translated by one of Christendom’s missionaries with the help of Buddhist monks. This translation contains many obsolete Pali-language words and is very difficult to understand. So when the Myanmar-language New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures was released in 2008, the brothers were ecstatic. “The audience applauded for a long time, and some even wept for joy when they received their personal copy,” recalls Maurice Raj. “The new translation is clear, simple, and accurate. Even Buddhists find it easy to understand!” Soon after the translation was released, the number of Bible studies in the country increased by more than 40 percent.

Like many other languages, the Myanmar language comes in two forms​—a formal style rooted in Pali and Sanskrit and a colloquial style used in everyday speech. Both styles are spoken and written. Most of our older publications used the formal style, which growing numbers of people now find difficult to understand. With this in mind, the branch recently began translating publications into everyday Myanmar, which most people easily understand.

These new publications have had an immediate impact. The Translation Department overseer, Than Htwe Oo, explains: “People used to say, ‘Your literature is of high quality, but I cannot understand it.’ Now their faces light up, and they start reading right away. Many exclaim, ‘This literature is so easy to understand!’” Even the commenting at congregation meetings has improved, since the audience now clearly understands what is written in our publications.

Currently, the Translation Department has 26 full-time translators working in three language teams​—Myanmar, Hakha Chin, and Sgaw Kayin. Literature has also been translated into 11 other local languages.