Havai Old Testament (OMBPBT)

Overview

The Havai Old Testament, released by Pioneer Bible Translators, contains portions of the Old Testament (15 books) in East Ambae (ISO 639-3: omb), an Oceanic language spoken by approximately 5,000 people on Ambae Island in Vanuatu's Penama Province. [1] The broader Havai Bible translation project was initiated over 30 years ago by Anglican priests from Lombaha, in memory of the late Reverend Christopher Godden. [2] A New Testament translation project formally commenced in 1994 in the village of Lolobivunge, with Chief Joseph Mala and Rev. Charles Tari as the principal translators and Rev. Dr. John Harris serving as the Bible Society's translation consultant. [2] The translation work took approximately 20 years to complete, carried out almost entirely by volunteers who often worked late at night by candlelight or hurricane lantern. [2] The Havai New Testament was launched with a celebration in which the translators handed the completed Scripture to the Chiefs of Lombaha, who carried it in traditional chiefly costume down through a jungle path to St Christopher's Church. [2] This Old Testament portion, published in 2022, extends the Havai Scripture into additional books, complementing the earlier Havai Niu Testamen New Testament published by the Bible Society of the South Pacific, with which it shares the Havai branding used for Scripture in this language community.

References

Language and People

East Ambae (ISO 639-3: omb) is spoken by approximately 5,000 people in Vanuatu. [Glottolog: east2443]