Language-specific Insights

complete verse (1 Corinthians 16:6)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 16:6:

  • Uma: “My desire is that I be a rather long time with you, maybe until the cold time is over, so that when the cold time is over, you [can] give-me-a-send-off to continue my journey on to wherever I’ll go.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Perhaps I will dwell there with you for a while. Perhaps I will wait till the windy season is over, then I will continue from there so that you can help me in my travelling, wherever I will go.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when I am already there with you, I will stay awhile; I will not leave there until the end of the rainy season. And when I continue, it would be good if you could help me on my travels, wherever I’m going.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “My-staying-with you will perhaps be slightly-long, maybe until the cold-season (lit. season-of-frost) is finished, then you will be able to help-me in my travels to wherever I am going.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I will stay there (with you) for a while. Maybe that’s where I’ll wait for the cold-season to pass, so that I can have you help me with my next journey, wherever I go.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Perhaps I will be able to stay with you for some time. If I can, I will stay there during all the cold time. Then you can help me in what I need when I continue on from there.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 1:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:15:

  • Uma: “Yohanes the Baptizer caused-to-know the people who that Word was. He called loudly he said: ‘He is the one I said earlier! I said: there will be one who comes after me, but his power surpasses mine. Because before I was born, he already was.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Yahiya talked about the Word. He spoke loudly, he said, ‘This is he/it that I talked to you about, I said, ‘There is somebody coming here after me. He is greater than I because when I was not yet born, he was already beforehand.’ ‘ This is what Yahiya said.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And this John, he caused people to understand who that one was who is titled the Word of God. John spoke out loudly. He said, ‘This is the person I told about when I said, ‘There is one who comes later than I who is greater than I because long ago before I was born, he already was,’ ‘ said John.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Juan confirmed/verified-concerning him saying, ‘This is the one I was talking-about when I told you that the one who would-follow-me was greater than I, because before I was yet born, he already-existed.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “He was being testified about by this Juan who was shouting it out, saying, ‘This one is he of whom I told when I said then as-you-heard, the one who is coming next after me, he is superior to me, because before I was born, he already was/existed.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “John told the people who he was. He said, ‘This one is that one I spoke of before. Because I already said, ‘He who comes afterwards is greater than I because before I was living, already he was living.”” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “John told what he knew about that Word. When he was preaching he spoke loudly and this is what he said: ‘The one who is coming afterwards, he is the big one. Not I, since he was living before me. Not I. He is the one I preached to you about.'” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Hiligaynon: “Juan bore-witness about him. He said, ‘He is whom I am-speaking-of who will-arrive after me. But he is higher-(in position) than I, for before I was born, he was already there before.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Mairasi: “Yohanis lived as a witness about this message then shouting, he said: ‘This is the One, consistent with my throat which I said: ‘He Himself, the One Who will eventually come, He Himself is the One Who is Important. I myself am small. Because He Himself lived ahead of time then I myself was born.’ I regularly say’ said Yohanis.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Bariai: “Ioanes confirmed talk about him and so called and said, ‘This man, previously I spoke to you(pl) about him as follows, ‘A man comes after me, his name/status is greater than me. For he was living prior to the day in which I hadn’t come forth yet.’’ ” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Kupsabiny: “He is the one whom John said by calling aloud that, ‘He is the one whom I said will come after me who has powers more than me because he was there when I was not yet born.'” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 7:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 7:18:

  • Uma: “There is not a good tree that bears bad fruit, and there is not a bad tree that bears good fruit.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “A good tree does not bear fruit which is not good and a tree which is not good does not bear good fruit.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The tree that has no disease, its fruit is good. It doesn’t bear bad fruit. The tree that has a disease, its fruit is bad. It cannot bear good fruit.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because it cannot be that a good tree bear-bad -fruit, and neither can it be that a bad tree bear-good -fruit.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For it isn’t possible for a good tree to produce bad fruit. And also it isn’t possible for a bad tree to produce good fruit.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The good tree cannot produce fruit that is not good. The tree that is not good cannot produce good fruit.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (2 Corinthians 1:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 1:14:

  • Uma: “What we (excl.) write/wrote to you, it is only what you [can] clearly read, know and understand. There are some of you who already do understand our (excl.) purpose, but there are also still some who do not-yet understand. So I hope/trust that you all will understand our (excl.) purpose, so that when our (incl.) Lord Yesus arrives, your hearts will be big [proud] because of us (excl.), like our (excl.) hearts are big because of you.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “All we (excl.) wrote to you, you were able to read and to understand. Now you do not yet understand everything about our (excl.) work/doings, but I expect/hope that you will really understand it all, so that you can boast about us (excl.) like/in the same way as we (excl.) will also boast about you when the day of our (incl.) Leader, Isa Almasi’s return comes.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “that which you have not yet completely understood about what we are doing, so that on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns, it will be possible that you will rejoice over us just as we will rejoice over you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Moreover what we (excl.) have written to you, its meaning is not hidden-from-view but rather is easy to read and understand. I know that you don’t yet properly understand our (excl.) thoughts and behavior, but may-it-be that what you understand will keep-being-added-to in order that your happiness with us (excl.) will equal our (excl.) happiness with you on the day that Jesu Cristo comes again.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “In our (excl.) letters that we sent to you there was no like hidden meaning, but rather just exactly what anyone who reads can understand. Right now your recognising/acknowledging of our (excl.) ways/nature is lacking, but we (excl.) are hoping that the day will come when you will fully recognise/acknowledge it so that, when the day of the return of our Lord Jesus arrives, you can praise us (excl.), just like you also, we (excl.) can praise you.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because now it is not in everything you understand well about what I am doing. But I want that you will understand well what I do so that when on the day the Lord Jesus comes, then you can praise the way I have walked. And the same for me, I also will praise how you walked.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 1:48)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:48:

  • Uma: “Natanael said: ‘From where do you (sing.) know me, Teacher?’ Yesus said: ‘Before Filipus called you, I saw you (sing.), at the base of a fig tree over there.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Natanael said to Isa, ‘How do you know me?’ Isa answered him, he said, ‘When Pilip had not yet called you, I saw you under the fig tree.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Nathaniel said, ‘How is that you know me?’ And Jesus said, ‘Before Philip came to get you, I saw you under the fig tree.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then Nataniel inquired, ‘Where/How perhaps did you (sing.) come-to-know me?’ ‘I saw you (sing.) at the base of the fig (loan igos) tree before Felipe called you (sing.),’ Jesus said in reply.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Natanael answered Jesus, ‘Excuse me, how did you know my nature/ways?’ Jesus replied, ‘Before you were told by Felipe, I had already seen you there under the igos tree.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Nathanael asked, ‘How is it that you know me?’ Jesus said, ‘I saw you before Philip called you, when you were where stands a tree called fig.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 8:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 8:21:

  • Uma: “After that, there was also a follower who said to him: ‘Lord, allow me first to go home. When my father dies and is buried, then I will follow you (sing.).'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “There was also one of those who followed Isa who spoke, he said, ‘Sir, I will go home first. When I have buried my father I will come back and follow you.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There was yet one disciple of Jesus who said, ‘Chief, I am going home for a while because I cannot follow you yet until my father dies. And when I have buried him, then I will accompany you.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There was also a disciple of his who said, ‘Lord, please wait so that we (excl.) can go bury my father first.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And then one of those being taught by Jesus spoke, saying, ‘I too, Lord, I will go along with you, but if possible/acceptable, I’ll go home first to bury my father.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Then one of the learners said to him: ‘Listen Lord, give me permission that first my father will die and I will bury him, then after that I will go with you,’ he said.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (2 Corinthians 3:5)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 3:5:

  • Uma: “We(excl.) don’t say that we (excl.) are able [on our (excl.) own (implied in adverb ‘moto’)] to do this work. It is not from our (excl.) own ability, God [emphatic] is the one who gives us (excl.) ability.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “We do not say that we (excl.) have expertise/skill to do our work as from ourselves. But it is from God that we (excl.) have expertise.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We cannot say that through our wisdom, we can do anything; but rather, we know that our ability to do everything we do comes from God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “We (excl.) know granted that we (excl.) have no ability if we (excl.) are-on-our-own, for our (excl.) ability, it comes from God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For if it were just through our (excl.) own ability we (excl.) really don’t have ability to do this. God graciously/freely-gave it to us (excl.).” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning God’s work which I do, God himself knows how to bring about that I can do his work. As for myself, I cannot know by myself how to do what I do.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 3:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 3:4:

  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “How can an old man get little and be born again? Can he get inside his mother and be born again?”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “. . . How can a grown man have a new life? He cannot enter into the womb of his mother to be born again.”
  • Alekano: “. . . One having become big, how will he appear new? How will he enter up into his mother’s stomach and she give birth? ” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “Nikodemus said: ‘Can a person who is already old be born again? Can he put himself in the womb of his mother and be born a second time?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Nikodemus said, ‘How can a person be born again when he is already old? He cannot enter again the womb of his mother and be born again.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And this Nicodemus asked saying, ‘How can a man who is already old be born again? He can’t return back to the stomach of his mother so that he can be born again.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And then Nicodemus inquired, ‘How perhaps can a grown-man be born again? Can-he-return do-you-suppose into the stomach of his mother in order to then be born a-second-time (lit. repeat to be born)?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Nicodemo asked, ‘How can a person be born again when he is now old/mature? Can he yet enter again into the womb of his mother and be born again?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Nicodemus asked, ‘But how can he? How can a man who is old again live anew? Can he again enter into the inside of his mother in order to again live anew?'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)