Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 13:13:

• Uma: “That is why I speak with parables when I speak to the crowds, because they have ears but they do not know the meaning of what they hear. They have eyes but they do not know the meaning of what they see. [Order of clauses reversed, because the word ‘to-have-eyes’ is tricky to read, and by putting ‘to-have-ears’ first it clues the reader in and thereby makes it easier to read the difficult word]” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
• Yakan: “This is the reason why I speak in parables when I teach them, because they look but do not see, and they hear but do not really hear and do not understand.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
• Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason I teach them by means of parables is so that they might understand, because they keep on looking at it but they cannot see it, which is to say, they listen but it is as if they don’t hear because they don’t understand.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
• Kankanaey: “Therefore parables are what-I-am-using to teach them, because even though they are seeing, they are not able-to-recognize, and even though they are hearing, they are not able-to understand.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
• Tagbanwa: “Therefore I am only using illustrations to teach them because staring, they can’t see, and they listen but can’t hear and understand.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
• Tenango Otomi: “Therefore I search for how to make comparisons when I speak to the people. Because the people see what I do, but they act as though they didn’t see anything. Concerning the words they hear, it is as though they didn’t hear anything, they do not understand the word I speak.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)