The above is from http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=hellO.E. hel, helle, "nether world, abode of the dead, infernal regions," from P.Gmc. *haljo "the underworld" (cf. O.Fris. helle, Du. hel, O.N. hel, Ger. Hölle, Goth. halja "hell") "the underworld," lit. "concealed place" (cf. O.N. hellir "cave, cavern"), from PIE *kel- "to cover, conceal, save" (see cell).
I have been thinking about the English word "hell". It must have had some meaning prior to the Bible being translated into English. From the website mentioned above, it seems that the translators may have actually chosen a rather apt word for sheol/hades (but not gehenna).
"Hell" has of course taken on many additional meanings since that time of course, and it no longer conveys accurately the concepts of the original languages. But I was thinking that the common accusation I hear that the translators shouldn't have made the choice they made might not be so true if we consider the meaning the words had at the time the translation was made (I'm thinking of the older translations of course).
Also, I found that "inferno" (like Dante's Inferno) doesn't have anything to do with fire in the original language. See http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=inferno and http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?ter ... in_frame=0