The Greek that is translated as “(not worthy to) untie sandals” or similar in English is translated in various ways:
- Awa: “because he is an important one, when he speaks I will be silent”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “I am not worthy to be his servant”
- Alekano: “if unworthy I should even carry his burden, it would not be right”
- Tenango Otomi: “I don’t compare with him” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Ayutla Mixtec: “I am too unworthy to perform even the lowliest of tasks for him” (“to avoid the wrong meaning of playing a trick by tying the sandals”)
- Choapan Zapotec “I am not even important to carry his pack” (source for this and one above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
- Mairasi: “loosening the strap of His foot thing as His slave would do” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
- Bariai: “untie the string of his shoe, because he surpasses me very much” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “He is greater than I. I don’t compare with him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): auf Knien die Riemen seiner Sandalen zu lösen or “to loosen the straps of his sandals on my knees.”
See also sandal (illustration)