IBT has published the second print-run of the book of Proverbs in the Adyghe language (northwest Caucasus, approx. 117,000 speakers). The first print-run of 2014 was very popular and was distributed among Adyghes almost immediately.
IBT is continuing to make progress towards the goal of translating and publishing the Old Testament in the Adyghe language, spoken by about 120,000 people in the Northwest Caucasus in south Russia and many more in the diaspora. The latest trial publication is the book of Exodus, delivered to Adyghea in late February.
In late November 2014, IBT's audio manager Rodion Popov traveled to Maikop, the capital city of Adyghea in south Russia, to record the recently published book of Proverbs in the Adyghe language. Three professional actors from the Adyghe National Theater lent their voices to produce the recording. The musical background – Adyghe melodies on the accordion and flute – will be taken from instrumental music recorded by the well-known Adyghe folk musician and composer Aslan Tlebzu.
IBT has added the Adyghe translation of the Old Testament book of Proverbs to our long list of publications. The Adyghe language is spoken in the northwestern part of the Caucasus area of Russia by about 117,000 people, who are closely related to the Kabardian and Cherkess peoples and together with them make up the Circassian ethnic group.
Spring 2014 Newsletter on the Kabardian and Adyghe projects
Don't biblical texts sometimes seem contradictory? And isn't it these very contradictions that make them relevant to all people, regardless of their ethnic, linguistic or historical contexts? The Bible is not abstract ideology, but rather a practical source of life, springing from God Himself, who is Love. Whoever reads the books of Job, Ecclesiastes or Proverbs as ideology may be at a loss. Whoever reads them from within real human situations may taste their all-embracing character. Likewise, the messages from the two translation teams, Adyghe and Kabardian, whose members gathered for a discussion at the recent IBT seminar on the Wisdom and Poetic books of the Old Testament at first seemed contradictory.
Don't biblical texts sometimes seem contradictory? And isn't it these very contradictions that make them relevant to all people, regardless of their ethnic, linguistic or historical contexts? The Bible is not abstract ideology, but rather a practical source of life, springing from God Himself, who is Love. Whoever reads the books of Job, Ecclesiastes or Proverbs as ideology may be at a loss. Whoever reads them from within real human situations may taste their all-embracing character. Likewise, the messages from the two translation teams, Adyghe and Kabardian, whose members gathered for a discussion at the recent IBT seminar on the Wisdom and Poetic books of the Old Testament at first seemed contradictory.