## translationWords

* [[en:tw:firstborn]]

## translationNotes

* **while they were there** - "while Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem"
* **the time came** - "it was time"
* **to deliver her baby** - "to give birth to her baby." Use a common expression that will not embarrass people.
* **wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth** - This could be translated as "wrapped him comfortably in a blanket" or "wrapped a blanket firmly around him." This act was an expression of love and concern for the newborn baby.
* **an animal feeding trough** - This was some kind of box or frame that people put hay or other food in for animals to eat. It was most likely clean and may have had something soft and dry like hay in it as a cushion for the baby. Animals were often kept near the home to keep them secure and to feed them easily. Apparently Mary and Joseph stayed in a room that was used for animals.
* **guest room** - This is a separate area for guests or travelers.
* **there was no room for them in a guest room** - "there was no space in the guest room for them to stay." This was probably because so many people went to Bethlehem to register.
* **because there was no room** - If it is not clear why Mary put her son in a feeding trough, you could explicitly state the implied information that they had to stay in a place for animals, and you could change the order of the information in verse 7. "There was no room for them in a guest room, so they stayed in a place for animals. When she gave birth to a son, her firstborn child, she wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth. Then she put him in an animal feeding trough." (See: [[:en:ta:vol1:translate:figs_explicit]])