History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Shan Bible, Hymnbook, Radio, Literature 170
YWAM Thailand expressed in their website, “TaiYai (Shan) Bible 1892, using an old form of
the language, which only a few can understand. New version of the NT, Psalms and Proverbs released
in 1994. While easier to understand, this version is not true to the conventions of the Shan language.” 6
After New Translation on New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs was published, Aung Htun Shwe
continued doing translation on Old Testament. But before he finished OT translation he passed away in
1996. Rev. Sai Stephen was selected to continue doing OT translation. Sai Stephen passed away in July
2000 before Old Testament was published.
New Shan Bible published in 2002
The Holy Bible (OT & NT) in new translation was jointly published by Thailand Bible Society,
Bangkok and Myanmar Bible Society, Yangon, in 2002 with some corrections in New Testament
published in 1994. However there are still some problems in this new translation. For example; some of
the names of the women in the Bible are given Shan racial prefix Nang, e.g. Nang Ruth, Nang Tamar
(Matthew 1:3) (however Tamar in Genesis 38:6 is not given the same prefix Nang), making them look
like Shan tribe by giving them Shan name, but not all women are given such prefix. Some names of the
men are also given title such as Saya, e.g. Saya John, Saya Matthew, Saya Paul etc. but not always, not
all the men are given the title. The translation is in fact inconsistent.
Concerns
The following are some concerns in new translation published in 2002.
NIV = New International Version
GN = Good News Bible
NST = New Shan Translation (Translator used Good News Bible as reference)
Genesis 2:23
She was taken out of man. (NIV)
She was taken out of man. (GN)
She was taken out of human (NST)
Genesis 3:9
Man (NIV)
Man (GN)
Human (NST)
Genesis 3:20
She would become the mother of all the living (NIV)
She was the mother of all human being (GN)
She is the mother of all the living human being (NST)
Genesis 3:24
To guard the way to the tree of life (NIV)
Keep anyone from coming near the tree that gives life (GN)
To guard the way of the tree of life (NST) * of and to denotes different meaning.
6 http://www.ywam.no/shan/eng/i_evange.html December 12, 2005