Language-specific Insights

hope

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“Hope is sometimes one of the most difficult terms to translate in the entire Bible. It is not because people do not hope for things, but so often they speak of hoping as simply ‘waiting.’ In fact, even in Spanish, the word esperar means both ‘to wait’ and ‘to hope.’ However, in many instances the purely neutral term meaning ‘to wait’ may be modified in such a way that people will understand something more of its significance. For example, in Tepeuxila Cuicatec hope is called ‘wait-desire.’ Hope is thus a blend of two activities: waiting and desiring. This is substantially the type of expectancy of which hope consists.

In Yucateco the dependence of hope is described by the phrase ‘on what it hangs.’ ‘Our hope in God’ means that ‘we hang onto God.’ The object of hope is the support of one’s expectant waiting. In Ngäbere the phrase “resting the mind” is used. This “implies waiting and confidence, and what is a better definition of hope than ‘confident waiting’.” (Source for this and above: Nida 1952, p. 20, 133)

Other languages translate as follows:

  • Mairasi: “vision resting place” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Enlhet: “waitings of (our) innermost” (“innermost” or valhoc is a term that is frequently used in Enlhet to describe a large variety of emotions or states of mind — for other examples see here) (source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. )
  • Kwang: “one’s future is restored to one’s soul like a fresh, cool breeze on a hot day.” (Source: Mark Vanderkooi right here )
  • Noongar: koort-kwidiny or “heart waiting” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Anjam: “looking through the horizon” (source: Albert Hoffmann in his memoirs from 1948, quoted in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 7)
  • Ron: kintiɓwi or “put lip” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Highland Totonac “wait with expectation” (to offset it from the every-day meaning of hope or wait — source: Hermann Aschmann in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 171ff. ).
  • Alekano: “wait not hearing two ears” (meaning to “wait without being double-minded” — source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation June 1986, p. 36ff.)
  • Berom: “direct one’s liver toward”
  • Mixtepec Mixtec: “wait and remain strong on the inside”
  • Cerma: “swallow the spittle”
  • Adyghe: “the heart expects something good”
  • Keliko: “place one’s heart on the head”
  • Berik: “wait persistently and hold on to God”
  • Somrai: “hold the heart really tight” (source for this and six above: Wycliffe Germany )
  • Marathi: aasha (आशा) with a stronger emphasis on desire
  • Tamil: nampikkai (நம்பிக்கை) with a stronger emphasis on expectation (source for this and above: J.S.M. Hooper in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 2ff. )

In Mwera “hope” and “faith” are translated with the same word: ngulupai. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

C.M. Doke looks at a number of Bantu languages and their respective translations of “hope” with slightly varying connotations (in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 9ff. ):

  • Xhosa and Zulu: themba “hope, expect,” also “have faith in, rely upon”
  • Tswana: tsholofelo “hope, expect, look for confidently”
  • Southern Sotho: tshepo “trust, rely on, believe in, have confidence in”
  • Kuanyama: eteelelo “waiting for”
  • Swahili: tumaini “confidence, trust, expectation, hope” (as a verb: “hope, trust, expect, be confident, be truthful, rely on”
  • Luganda: okusuubira “hope, trust, expect” also “look forward to, rely upon, anticipate, reckon”
  • Chichewa: chiyembekezo “wait for, wait, expect”
  • Koongo: vuvu “hope, expectancy, expectation, anticipation”
Syntyche D. Dahou (in Christianity Today, January 2021 or see here the same article in French ) reports on the two different terms that are being used in French (click or tap here to see the details):

“Unlike English, which uses the word hope broadly, the French language uses two words that derive from the word espérer (to hope): espoir and espérance. Both can first refer to something hoped for. In this sense, the word espoir usually refers to an uncertain object; that is, someone who hopes for something in this way does not have the certainty that it will happen (“I hope the weather will be nice tomorrow”). On the other hand, espérance describes what, rightly or wrongly, is hoped for or expected with certainty. It often refers to a philosophical or eschatological object (‘I hope in the goodness of human beings’; ‘I hope for the return of Jesus Christ’).

“When we speak of espoir or espérance, we then have in mind different types of objects hoped for. This difference matters, because both terms also commonly refer to the state of mind that characterizes the hopeful. And this state of mind will be different precisely according to the object hoped for.

“Having espoir for an uncertain yet better future in these difficult times may be a good thing, but it is not enough. Such hope can be disappointed and easily fade away when our wishes and expectations (our hopes) do not materialize.

“The opposite is true with espérance, which is deeper than our desire and wish for an end to a crisis or a future without pain and suffering. To face the trials of life, we need peace and joy in our hearts that come from expecting certain happiness. This is what espérance is: a profound and stable disposition resulting from faith in the coming of what we expect. In this sense, it is similar in meaning to the English word hopefulness.

“If we have believed in the Son of the living God, we have such a hope. It rests on the infallible promises of our God, who knows the plans he has for us, his children — plans of peace and not misfortune, to give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). By using the two meanings of the word, we can say that the espérance that the fulfillment of his promises represents (the object hoped for) fills us with espérance (the state of mind).”

complete verse (Romans 14:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 14:8:

  • Uma: “Living or dying, we still/nonetheless follow the desires of the Lord. Living or dying, we are still the Lord’s portion.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “That’s why we (incl.) are alive, so that our (incl.) Leader Isa Almasi is praised. Likewise also when we (incl.) die. So-then if we (incl.) are alive or dead, we (incl.) belong to Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when we die, it is just the same also. And therefore, while we are still alive or whether we are already dead, we still belong to God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “but rather we want the Lord to be honored on account of our living and so also our dying. Therefore whether we are alive or whether we die, it is the Lord who owns us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Therefore whether we live or whether we die, it is the Lord in whose hand we are.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Highland Totonac: “And if we live, we shall only live longer in order that we should do that which the Lord God wants us to do. And if we die, we shall only die so that we shall be with the Lord God. And meanwhile that we yet live, also when we die, we always belong to the Lord God.”
  • Tzeltal: “It is our Lord’s command how we are alive now, and it is again our Lord’s command what hour we die. Therefore although we are alive or although we die, it is our Lord who is in charge of us.”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “While we are present living we are present in order to do like our Lord wants us to do. We will die when our Lord says we will die. Thus it is, living or dying, we are children of our Lord.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (2 Corinthians 1:10)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 1:10:

  • Uma: “So, relatives, he did release us (excl.) from those severe difficulties yesterday, to the point that we (excl.) didn’t die after all. And he will also release us (excl.) from the difficulties that happen now. And we (excl.) trust/hope he will release us (excl.) from difficulties that will happen in the coming days.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “At that time we (excl.) were brought out/freed by him from the danger of almost being killed and he will also bring us (excl.) out in the future. We (excl.) just trust God that he will bring us (excl.) out/free us.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And God helped us and strengthened us, that’s why we escaped and we were not killed; and we know that He will continue to help us (excl.). Our trust is very great that He will not stop helping us.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And he truly did save/rescue us (excl.) from our (excl.) fearful hardships, and he will save us (excl.) in-the-future. He is the one in-whom-we (excl.) continually -hope that he will continue to save us (excl.),” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “He really saved us (excl.) from the death that we were facing. And we (excl.) are absolutely certain that he will continue to save us from everything life-threatening that keeps happening.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But God truly saved me at the time I was about to be killed. And until now he helps me. And I am assured that as I continue to suffer, he will continue to save me.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Highland Totonac: “The one who saved us from our troubles, will in the same way save us again. This is the one in whom we have confidence and hope that he will save us again.” (Source: Herman Aschmann in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 171ff. )

forgive, forgiveness

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The concept of “forgiveness” is expressed in varied ways through translations. Following is a list of (back-) translations from some languages:

  • Tswa, North Alaskan Inupiatun, Panao Huánuco Quechua: “forget about”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “give back” (based on the idea that sin produces an indebtedness, which only the one who has been sinned against can restore)
  • Huichol, Shipibo-Conibo, Eastern Highland Otomi, Uduk, Tepo Krumen: “erase,” “wipe out,” “blot out”
  • Highland Totonac, Huautla Mazatec: “lose,” “make lacking”
  • Tzeltal: “lose another’s sin out of one’s heart”
  • Lahu, Burmese: “be released,” “be freed”
  • Ayacucho Quechua: “level off”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “cast away”
  • Chol: “pass by”
  • Wayuu: “make pass”
  • Kpelle: “turn one’s back on”
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “cover over” (a figure of speech which is also employed in Hebrew, but which in many languages is not acceptable, because it implies “hiding” or “concealment”)
  • Tabasco Chontal, Huichol: “take away sins”
  • Toraja-Sa’dan, Javanese: “do away with sins”
  • San Blas Kuna: “erase the evil heart” (this and all above: Bratcher / Nida, except Tepo Krumen: Peter Thalmann in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 25f.)
  • Eggon: “withdraw the hand”
  • Mískito: “take a man’s fault out of your heart” (source of this and the one above: Kilgour, p. 80)
  • Gamale Kham: “unstring someone” (“hold a grudge” — “have someone strung up in your heart”) (source: Watters, p. 171)
  • Hawai’i Creole English: “let someone go” (source: Jost Zetzsche)
  • Cebuano: “go beyond” (based on saylo)
  • Iloko: “none” or “no more” (based on awan) (source for this and above: G. Henry Waterman in The Bible Translator 1960, p. 24ff. )
  • Tzotzil: ch’aybilxa: “it has been lost” (source: Aeilts, p. 118)
  • Suki: biaek eisaemauwa: “make heart soft” (Source L. and E. Twyman in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 91ff. )
  • Warao: “not being concerned with him clean your obonja.” Obonja is a term that “includes the concepts of consciousness, will, attitude, attention and a few other miscellaneous notions” (source: Henry Osborn in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 74ff. See other occurrences of Obojona in the Warao New Testament.)
  • Martu Wangka: “throw out badness” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Mairasi: “dismantle wrongs” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Nyulnyul: “have good heart” (source )
  • Kyaka: “burn the jaw bones” — This goes back to the pre-Christian custom of hanging the jaw bones of murdered relatives on ones door frame until the time of revenge. Christians symbolically burned those bones to show forgiveness which in turn became the word for “forgiveness” (source: Eugene Nida, according to this blog )
  • Koonzime: “remove the bad deed-counters” (“The Koonzime lay out the deeds symbolically — usually strips of banana leaf — and rehearse their grievances with the person addressed.”) (Source: Keith and Mary Beavon in Notes on Translation 3/1996, p. 16)
  • Arapaho: “setting is aside” (source )
  • Ngbaka: ele: “forgive and forget” (Margaret Hill [in Holzhausen & Ridere 2010, p. 8f.] recalls that originally there were two different words used in Ngbaka, one for God (ɛlɛ) and one for people (mbɔkɔ — excuse something) since it was felt that people might well forgive but, unlike God, can’t forget. See also this lectionary in The Christian Century .
  • Amahuaca: “erase” / “smooth over” (“It was an expression the people used for smoothing over dirt when marks or drawings had been made in it. It meant wiping off dust in which marks had been made, or wiping off writing on the blackboard. To wipe off the slate, to erase, to take completely away — it has a very wide meaning and applies very well to God’s wiping away sins, removing them from the record, taking them away.”) (Source: Robert Russel, quoted in Walls / Bennett 1959, p. 193)
  • Gonja / Dangme: “lend / loan” (in the words of one Dangme scholar: “When you sin and you are forgiven, you forget that you have been forgiven, and continue to sin. But when you see the forgiveness as a debt/loan which you will pay for, you do not continue to sin, else you have more debts to pay” — quoted in Jonathan E.T. Kuwornu-Adjaottor in Ibadan Journal of Religious Studies 17/2 2010, p. 67ff. )
  • Kwere: kulekelela, meaning literally “to allow for.” Derived from the root leka which means “to leave.” In other words, forgiveness is leaving behind the offense in relationship to the person. It is also used in contexts of setting someone free. (Source: Megan Barton)
  • Merina Malagasy: mamela or “leave / let go (of sin / mistakes)” (source: Brigitte Rabarijaona)
  • Mauwake: “take away one’s heaviness” (compare sin as “heavy”) (source: Kwan Poh San in this article )

See also this devotion on YouVersion .

complete verse (Romans 14:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 14:9:

  • Uma: “That [emphatic] is why Kristus died and came back to life, in order that he be-the-Lord of all people, both the ones who are alive and the ones who are dead.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For this is the reason that Almasi died and he is alive again, so that he is our (incl.) Leader whether we (incl.) are alive or dead.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For the reason that Christ let himself be killed and was raised again was so that He might rule over those that believe in him, who are still alive or who are already dead.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because Cristo died and lived again so that he would be the Lord of the living and likewise also the dead.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Christ died and again lived in order that he be our Lord whether we live or whether we have died.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “For just that is why Christ died and came to life and lives even now, so that he should be Lord of all; just as he is of those who have died, in the same way he is of those who are living.”
  • Highland Totonac: “Because as for Christ, that is why he died, and also why he arose from the dead, and is alive again, in order that he might have the say over those who are dead and those who are alive.”
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “Christ, the reason he died and the reason he came up out of the grave again where he was buried is so that he could be the chief of all the dead who have put their confidence in Christ and all of those who are still alive who have put their confidence in him.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (2 Corinthians 1:11)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 1:11:

  • Uma: “And you also, relatives, must hold-us (excl.)-up with your prayers. For if many people pray for us (excl.), God will bless us (excl.), with the result that many people will say thank you to God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And you can also help us (excl.) if you pray/request to God for us (excl.). If many of you pray/request to God for us (excl.) and when God gives what you ask, then many will give thanks to him because of his help to us (excl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And it’s necessary that you also help us by praying, and then it will be possible that many will give thanks to God because of His favor toward us, because of the praying of many people.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “provided you help with your prayers. And if you do that, God will answer your many prayers and will bless us (excl.), and many will give-thanks to him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But we (excl.) are asking that you will also continue your help to us in prayer. For if many are praying, after the answers, of course many will then praise and thank God because of his help to us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But it is necessary that you help me now by praying to God for me. If many people pray to God for me, then many people will thank God when they see how God blesses me.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Highland Totonac: “Help me with your prayers in order that thus many will give thanks to God because of the mercies which he would show toward us because of many.” (Source: Herman Aschmann in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 171ff. )

complete verse (2 Corinthians 1:1)

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

  • Uma: “This letter is from me Paulus, whom God lifted to be an apostle/messenger of Kristus Yesus according to his desire, and from Timotius, our (incl.) one-faith relative, we (excl.) send it to you relatives who believe in God who are in the village of Korintus, including [lit., until] all the Kristen people in the province of Akhaya.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “This letter is from me, Paul and from Timoteo our (incl.) brother. From the will of God I was commissioned by Isa Almasi, commanded to proclaim his message. I send this letter there to the gathering belonging to God there in the town of Korinto and also (lit. including) to all of God’s people throughout the place of Akaya.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I am Paul; I was given the title of an apostle by Jesus Christ because God wanted it. I and Timothy, our (incl.) brother, we write to all of you believers in God there in the town of Corinth, and also all of the people who belong to God within the province of Achaiya.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I am Pablo who am an apostle of Cristo Jesus according to what God wants. My companion here is our brother Timoteo. Here is our (excl.) letter to you who are God’s people in Corinto and in-addition all his people in the province Akaya.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Corinthians (lit. those in/from Corinto) who are trusting and believing/obeying God, and others whom God has separated-out to be his people now there in the whole province of Acaya, there-with-you is our (excl.) letter, I Pablo who is an apostle of Cristo Jesus according to the determined-plan of God, and Timoteo who is our sibling in believing.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I am Paul, whom God appointed to be Jesus Christ’s representative. I, with our brother Timothy, greet God’s people who gather there in the city of Corinth, and also those other people who are in God’s hand, who live in the places in the land of Acaya.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Highland Totonac: “I Paul am the one who is writing this, Jesus’ sent one, because that is God’s will. Then too, there is our brother Timothy, we send you this message, you who gather together at Corinth, as well as all those who are God’s chosen who live throughout the whole of Achaia.” (Source: Herman Aschmann in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 171ff. )

complete verse (2 Corinthians 1:2)

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

  • Uma: “Many greetings: we (excl.) call-out to God our Father and the Lord Yesus Kristus, that he bless you from his white insides [grace] and give you goodness of life [i.e., well-being, peace].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “May our (incl.) Father God and our (incl.) Leader Isa Almasi always care for you. May they always cause peace in your livers.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ show you favor and bless you with a peaceful situation.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “May you have mercy/grace and peace that comes-from God our Father and the Lord Jesu Cristo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “We (excl.) are praying that hopefully with you always is the grace/mercy and peace of mind/inner-being that God who is our Father and the Lord Jesu-Cristo give.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “We want that God our Father with our Lord Jesus Christ will bless you and will put peace in your hearts.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Highland Totonac: “May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and comfort you.” (Source: Herman Aschmann in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 171ff. )