The opening of this verse with and reflects Semitic structure. Some languages will use a similar transition, but others will start a new sentence, either as Good News Translation has or with a phrase such as “Then (or, So) they went into the house.”
Mary his mother: some languages will naturally use the same expression as the text, but others will more likely say “his mother Mary.” Some will make it a separate sentence or phrase: “He (or, who) was with his mother Mary.”
They fell down and worshiped him (New English Bible “bowed to the ground in homage to him”; Phillips “fell on their knees and worshipped him”; Barclay “knelt down and did him homage”) is represented by Good News Translation as “they knelt down and worshiped him.” The problem with the literal rendering they fell down is that it might imply accidental falling, as though the men had tripped and fallen over something, or perhaps been so struck with awe they literally fell down. New Jerusalem Bible attempts to resolve this difficulty by translating “falling to their knees,” but in most languages it is more natural to say “they knelt,” as in Good News Translation, or “they bowed to the floor,” “they bowed low,” or “they prostrated themselves.”
Worshiped: this is the same word as in verses 2 and 8.
Opening their treasures is a rather literal rendering of the Greek text. The word translated treasures may refer either to something that is stored away or to the place or object in which something is stored away. It is used in the Septuagint in Deuteronomy 28.12 (Good News Translation “storehouse”), Ezekiel 28.4 (Good News Translation “treasures”), and Psalm 135.7 (Septuagint 134.7; Good News Translation “storeroom”). In the present context the translations are divided between the meaning “treasure” and “treasure container”; and even where the second of these interpretations is followed, commentators do not agree as to the nature of the container. For example, some suggest “treasure box,” while others deny this meaning and argue for “sack.” In light of the many possibilities, none of which is conclusive, the best solution is simply to translate in a way which is most natural in the receptor language yet does not contradict the biblical culture. Some examples of things that contradict the biblical culture would be “suitcases,” “trunks,” or “safes.” These should be avoided. Many translators have used general words such as “baggage” or “sacks (or, containers) they carried their valuable things in.”
It may not be necessary to speak of “opening.” An example of this is “They took out their gifts from their baggage.” Some translators find that it is easier not even to mention the containers. They do something very similar to Good News Translation, as in “They took out their gifts.” But on the other hand, many languages will require that all the action be specified, as in “They opened their baggage and took out gifts for the baby.”
In some languages the use of gifts requires naming who is to get the gift, as in “their gifts for the baby.” It is important, however, either by using the words “valuable,” “gift,” or “treasure,” to indicate they had something of value they were bringing to offer.
The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh are not to be given individual symbolic significance. These are royal gifts, worthy of a king (see Psa 72.10-11, 15; 45.7-9; Isa 60.6). Frankincense, a valuable incense made from the sap of a certain tree, was probably imported from Arabia. Myrrh is a sweet smelling resin of an Arabian shrub; it was used both for medicinal purposes (Mark 15.23) and for preparing bodies for burial (John 19.39). And the value of gold has been universally acknowledged for centuries.
Gold is generally well known, but in languages where it is not, translators will have to say something like “a very valuable metal (called gold).” In some languages it is natural to say simply that one of the gifts was “gold,” but in others it is better to speak of “gold objects,” “things made from gold,” or possibly even “gold coins (or, pieces).”
Frankincense is less well known, but translators can try to find some general word such as “incense” or “sweet smelling powder,” and then modify it by adding “valuable” and possibly “called frankincense.” Thus they would have “a valuable incense (called frankincense).” In a similar way, myrrh can be “another sweet-smelling thing called myrrh” or “a valuable medicine (from a tree), called myrrh.”
It must be clear from the structure that the gold, frankincense, and myrrh are the gifts. In some languages a literal translation of the text means they gave him four things: gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Another matter of structure is when to mention what these gifts are. In the text they are listed after “gifts,” but in many languages, it is more natural to reverse this, for example, “They took out from their treasure boxes gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and they gave these to him as gifts.”
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .