Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:5:
- Huehuetla Tepehua: “That one who gives understanding to the minds of men, he was like a light that shines where it is dark. But the one who walks where it is dark (the devil) couldn’t overcome him.”
- Ojitlán Chinantec: “For people are in the evil way, as if to say, they are in darkness. But he illuminates people. The evil one did not prevail over that one who illuminates people.”
- Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “He is like a light which illuminates where it is dark. And the devil, he is of the darkness but he cannot conquer the light.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “The person who is the word has light for the hearts of mankind. Even though there is very much evil in this world where he arrived, the evil did not shut off his light.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
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Chol: “The light of the world shows itself in the midst of a very dark world. This very dark world was not able to put out the light.” Wilbur Aulie (in The Bible Translator 1957, p. 109ff. ) explains the use of “put out the light” (click here to display)
“The problem of multiple meanings is often involved in the rendering of figures. Some hold that Greek katelaben in John 1:5 means both ‘to grasp with the mind’ (i.e., ‘to comprehend’) and ‘to grasp with the hand’ (i.e., to overcome’). Many translators are obliged to make a choice here. In Chol there is no choice, since the darkness cannot comprehend, even metaphorically speaking. It was therefore rendered: ‘The darkness did not put out the light’.”
- Uma: “That light shone/shines in the darkness, and the darkness was/is not able to kill it/him [NOTE: The verb ‘kill’ can be used of putting out a light or fire]” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “This light shines in darkness and the light can really not be put out by the darkness.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “That light has illumined the darkness here upon the earth, and the light was not defeated by this darkness.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “He has-been-steadily-illuminating the darkness, and the darkness, it is not able-to-defeat the light.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “He gives-light/makes-clear like a light/lamp in darkness, but those who are in darkness, they don’t want to be shined-on by this light.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “The light shines in darkness and it is not able to be put out.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
See also this devotion on YouVersion .