Language-specific Insights

abundance, surplus

The Greek that is translated as “(out of their) surplus (or: abundance)” is translated into Tabasco Chontal as “they gave money which they didn’t need” and into Tzeltal as “the left-over money.”

Let no one look down on you

The Greek that is translated as “Let no one look down on you” in English is translated in Tabasco Chontalas “don’t let there be anyone to say that you don’t have brains.” (Source: John Beekman & Harwood Hess in Notes on Translation, March 1963, p. 1ff.)

genealogy

The Greek that is translated in English as “genealogies” is translated in Kwara’ae as “long stories about generations.” (Source: Carl Gross)

In Tabasco Chontal it is “names of inhabitants of a long time ago,” and in Sayula Popoluca “ancient names.” (Source: John Beekman & Harwood Hess in Notes on Translation, March 1963, p. 1ff.)

See also genealogy (Matthew 1:1).

endurance

The Greek that is translated in English as “endurance” (or “patience”or “perseverance”) is translated in Tzotzil as “(good) strength of heart(s)” (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.), in Isthmus Zapotec as “learning not to lose patience” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), and in Tabasco Chontal as “they shouldn’t get upset over things” (source: John Beekman & Harwood Hess in Notes on Translation, March 1963, p. 1ff.).

In Mairasi it is translated idiomatically as “having well-split bones” (source: Enggavoter 2004).

in the hope of eternal life

The Greek that is translated as “in the hope of eternal life” in English is translated in:

  • Sayula Popoluca: “I serve God because of our life which doesn’t end which we await”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “this is why I am waiting for the life which does not end”
  • Tabasco Chontal: “I work for God because I know I am going to live forever” (source for this and above: John Beekman & Harwood Hess in Notes on Translation, March 1963, p. 1ff.)

See also hope and eternal life.

envy / envious

The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is translated as “envy” or “envious” in most English translations is, according to Nida (1952, p. 134), translated into Tzeltal and Tabasco Chontal in the following manner:

“Envy is bred of covetousness and self-centeredness. The Tzeltals, who recognize a covetous man as having a ‘small heart,’ say that an envious person has ‘a greedy heart.’ ‘Small hearts’ and ‘greedy hearts’ go together, and the soul shrinks in direct proportion to its greediness. The envious person is never satisfied, for he can never keep step with his own insatiable ego.

“The Chontal Indians, living in the low, swampy delta land of Tabasco in southern Mexico, regard envy in a more subtle way. They say of the man who is envious of his neighbor, ‘He did not want to see his neighbor.’ This describes the end result of envy. People cannot bear to see others enjoying the privileges which they insist should be their own. The envious man has acquired such a self-directed stare that he cannot take his eyes off self to see another’s enjoyment.”

Other translations include:

  • Central Mazahua: “jealous of each other, their fellow people”
  • Sayula Popoluca: “hate those who have something” (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Chol: “resent the well-being of others” (source: John Beekman & Harwood Hess in Notes on Translation, March 1963, p. 1ff.)
  • Matumbi: sukya, which means “envy” but also “hate” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
  • Kupsabiny: “blackstomached” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)

See also envy.