Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo Translations — Multiple Scripture Editions (Ethiopia/Kenya)

Overview

This entry covers three related scripture translations for the Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo language cluster (ISO 639-3: gax), all available via YouVersion/Bible.com:

  1. Waadaa Haarawa ("New Testament") — Arsi-Bale Oromo NT (YouVersion ID 3174; abbreviation: ARSIDNT), published by the Bible Society of Ethiopia
  2. Guji Oromo New Testament 2007 (YouVersion ID 3176; abbreviation: GAXNT), published by the Bible Society of Ethiopia
  3. KITAABA WAAQA ("Book of God") — Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo full Bible or major portions (YouVersion ID 2935; abbreviation: BOR), published by the Bible Society of Kenya

These translations serve overlapping dialect varieties within the gax ISO cluster, which covers the southern Oromo varieties of Ethiopia (Arsi, Bale, Guji zones) and the Borana community extending into Kenya.

Language and People

Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo (ISO 639-3: gax; autonym: Borana) is an Afroasiatic language: Afroasiatic → Cushitic → Eastern Cushitic → Oromo branch. The Oromo language is the largest single language of Ethiopia and one of the most widely spoken Cushitic languages globally. The ISO code gax covers a cluster of southern Oromo varieties: Arsi (Arsi and Bale zones of Oromia Region), Guji (East and West Guji zones), and Borana (the southernmost Oromo variety, extending into Kenya's Northern Frontier). These differ from Afan Oromo (gaz), the dominant northern Oromo/Wollega variety.

The gax Oromo community inhabits:

  • Arsi Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia — central highlands
  • Bale Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia — southeastern highlands
  • East and West Guji Zones, Oromia Region, Ethiopia — southern Oromia
  • Borana Zone and Marsabit/Isiolo regions, Kenya — extending south across the border

Estimated speakers: approximately 4–6 million across all gax varieties (Arsi, Guji, and Borana combined).

Cultural Context

The Borana are famous pastoralists of the Horn of Africa, practicing a sophisticated cattle-herding culture in the arid lowlands between Ethiopia and Kenya. The Arsi and Bale Oromo are highland agriculturalists. The Guji Oromo occupy a transitional zone. All groups maintain traditional Oromo governance through the gada system — a democratic age-grade civic and political organization that UNESCO recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016. The Bible Society of Ethiopia has been active in southern Oromo translation since the 1990s; the 2007 NT editions represent a major milestone in Guji and Arsi-Bale scripture access.

Publishing and Organizations

  • Bible Society of Ethiopia (biblesocietyethiopia.org) — Arsi-Bale Oromo NT and Guji Oromo NT (2007)
  • Bible Society of Kenya (biblesocietykenya.org) — KITAABA WAAQA (Borana Bible/portions)

References