The hymnbook language translation team of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is seeking people who are fluent in Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, European Portuguese, Finnish, Haitian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Swedish, Thai or Ukrainian to help translate hymns for the new hymnbook, “Hymns — For Home and Church.”
The team has three open roles:
- Translator or content reviewer (paid, independent contractor, five-plus hours a week)
- Singer (paid, independent contractor, one to 10 hours a week)
- Community feedback volunteer (unpaid, up to one hour a week)
Latter-day Saints and friends of the Church with a background in translation, music, poetry or other creative writing experience in these languages are needed, explained a news release from ChurchofJesusChrist.org. All levels of experience are welcome to apply as soon as possible, and translation team members may live anywhere.
Additional languages may be added later.
What the roles entail
Translators and content reviewers will need solid English skills and the ability to write creatively in the target language. The translator creates the initial translation of a song from English, while a content reviewer reviews the translator’s work with a focus on meaning and language acceptability.
Singers will create unofficial audio recordings where they sing the translated hymns to be used internally by the translation team and volunteers during the translation and review process.
A community feedback volunteer will complete digital surveys in the target language for hymn translations.
More detailed job descriptions and the online application form can be found at ChurchofJesusChrist.org/serve/casting/hymns-for-home-and-church.
About the new hymnbook
In June 2018, the Church announced plans to publish a new, unified hymnbook. “Hymns — For Home and Church” is a major, multiyear project involving thousands of employees and volunteers around the world.
New hymns have been released in batches ever since May 2024. This music can be found in the Sacred Music and Gospel Library apps and in the online Church Music Library at music.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
“Hymns — For Home and Church” will have around 375 hymns and children’s songs in the print version. The full hymnbook release is currently expected in print and digital formats by the end of 2027 in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French, with other languages to follow.
