In 2011 the WBTS released the New World Translation in Papiamento. Papiamento is the language from the Netherlands Antilles (Aruba, Bonaira, and Curaçao), which I have mastered well.
Upon reading the translation I was shocked: this isn't the NWT anymore. There are other Bible translations in Papiamento that a better representation of the English NWT than the Papiamento NWT. In my last months as JW, I made a detailed study of the translation of Matthew. Many phrases aren't translated literal, and many words are added or omitted. It's just a very bad translation.
Some remarkable points:
No more hades: hades is always translated with 'grave'.
No more 'memory graves': even John 5:28 uses 'grave' (with 'memory grave' in the footnote).
“Exercise faith” became 'put faith' (with 'demonstrate faith' in the footnote; see other topic).
Note that although Papiamento is a relatively simple language, literal translations are almost always possible.
Some examples from Matthew:
Book | Chapter | Verse | NWT in English | Literal English translation of the NWT in Papiamento |
|---|---|---|---|---|
40 | 1 | 18 | But the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way. During the time his mother Mary was promised in marriage to Joseph, she was found to be pregnant by holy spirit before they were united . | Now then, the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to marry with Joseph, Maria became pregnant by holy spirit before they married , |
40 | 1 | 19 | However, Joseph her husband, because he was righteous and did not want to make her a public spectacle, intended to divorce her secretly. | However, her husband, Joseph, was a righteous man, and he did not want to embarrass her publicly. Therefor he intended to divorce her secretly. |
40 | 1 | 20 | But after he had thought these things over, look! Jehovah's angel appeared to him in a dream, saying: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife home , for that which has been begotten in her is by holy spirit. | But after he had thought about these things, an angel of Jehovah appeared to him in a dream, and said to him: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to marry Mary for the reason that she became pregnant , for that took place by holy spirit. |
40 | 5 | 17 | "Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I came, not to destroy, but to fulfill; | "Do not believe I came to end the Law or the teachings of the Prophets. I did not came to end them , but to fulfill them ; |
40 | 5 | 18 | for truly I say to YOU that sooner would heaven and earth pass away than for one smallest letter or one particle of a letter to pass away from the Law by any means and not all things take place. | for truly I say to YOU that heaven and earth have more chance to pass away than for one smallest letter or part of one letter to pass away from the Law without all what is written in it take place. |
40 | 5 | 19 | Whoever, therefore, breaks one of these least commandments and teaches mankind to that effect, he will be called 'least' in relation to the kingdom of the heavens . As for anyone who does them and teaches them, this one will be called 'great' in relation to the kingdom of the heavens . | Therefore, he who breaks one of these least commandments and teaches others to do the same, will not be worthy to enter the Kingdom of heaven . But who does them and teaches them to others, this one will be worthy to enter the Kingdom of heaven . |
40 | 5 | 20 | For I say to YOU that if YOUR righteousness does not abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, YOU will by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens. | For I say to YOU that if YOUR righteousness isn't superior than the scribes and Pharisees practice, YOU surely will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. |
40 | 5 | 21 | "YOU heard that it was said to those of ancient times , ' You must not murder ; but whoever commits a murder will be accountable to the court of justice.' | YOU heard that it was said to our ancestors : 'Don't murder; but whoever murders will be accountable to the court of justice.' |
40 | 5 | 22 | However, I say to YOU that everyone who continues wrathful with his brother will be accountable to the court of justice; but whoever addresses his brother with an unspeakable word of contempt will be accountable to the Supreme Court; whereas whoever says, 'You despicable fool !' will be liable to the fiery Ge·hen'na. | But I say to YOU that who stays angry with his brother, will be accountable to the court of justice. But who despises his brother with a low word will be accountable to the Supreme Court, whereas who says, 'You useless fool!' will risk to receive punishment in the fire of Ge·hen'na. |
40 | 5 | 31 | "Moreover it was said , 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' | Moreover you heard in the past: 'Who divorces of his wife, let him give his wife a letter of divorce.' |
40 | 5 | 32 | However, I say to YOU that everyone divorcing his wife, except on account of fornication , makes her a subject for adultery , and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. | But I say to YOU that who divorces of his wife, except when the wife commits fornication , lets his wife risk comitting adultery , and whoever marries this divorced woman commits adultery. |
The Papiamento translation can be download here: http://www.jw.org/download/?fileformat=PDF&output=html&pub=bi7&langwritten=PA&option=TRGCHlZRQVNYVrXF
I made a further study of the translation of hades. The first translations of the NWT in which I do not encounter hades are Swahili (1996), Serbian and Croatian (1999). But later translations like Ewe (2007) and Gun (2009) do use hades. More recently there were also releases in Latvian and Lithuanian: Lithuanian does have hades, but Latvian not.
I wonder if many of the changes are policy, and thus an indication for a new upcoming NWT in English.
Any further suggestions/requests for comparison?