Here is an interesting thing for you. I was teaching Diploma level English today (so please, overlook any type-o I may make in this blog :). I teach using the Bible, in order that they may learn the English that they will need in studying God's word to preach, as many of them have English bibles. For example, last semester, we went through the book of Matthew, reading only the parables. We went around the room, with each student reading one verse aloud to the class, then translating it into Krio. Any word with which they were not familiar became our vocabulary word. We looked at all of it's possible meanings and it's part of speech. In this way, they practice reading English aloud, learn new vocabulary, and are required to demonstrate comprehension by translating it into their own words. I encourage each of them to understand the meaning of each word, each sentence, and the passage as a whole.
Today, we were looking a Job, which is our passage for the semester. In coming across the idea that, as satan said, Job would curse God and die; we landed in an interesting discussion. In Krio, to curse someone is to verbally abuse them and is quite serious, especially if you curse the person's mother. However, to swear on them is to bring on an evil spell to bring them harm. This is almost the opposite of how we would look at it, right. Well, here comes the interesting issue. God cursed the ground after Adam and Eve ate the fruit. Uh oh! How do you explain that - because to them this is bad, and according to our dictionary this is an evil act. Can God do evil? - this was the next question. How can a Holy and righteous God curse something.
Here was my answer, and let me know if you have any better thoughts...
God cursed the ground by His word, and when God speaks, it happens... "and God spoke and there was light...". However, we, as human's call it a curse because he spoke something into being that we perceive as being bad. God's intention, on the other hand, was good in that He cursed the ground so that Adam and all of mankind would continue to remember their need for him, that all good things, including crops, come from God. We call it a curse, but the end result is a blessing.
We as humans speak evil on someone, but are impotent to cause it to occur. God speaks blessings over some things and curses over others... fully able to cause it to come to pass... and yet always for the end result to be a blessing "...for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose...".
I am often amazed at how having to explain biblical concepts cross-culturally has the end result of ME coming away with a better understanding of God.
Isn't that cool? :) I hope it did the same for you.