Language-specific Insights

bless(ed)

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The Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Aramaic that is translated into English as “(to) bless” or “blessed” is translated into a wide variety of possibilities.

The Hebrew term barak (and the Aramaic term berak) also (and originally) means “kneel” (a meaning which the word has retained — see Gen. 24:11) and can be used for God blessing people (or things), people blessing each other, or people blessing God. While English Bible translators have not seen a stumbling block in always using the same term (“bless” in its various forms), other languages need to make distinctions (see below).

In Bari, spoken in South Sudan, the connection between blessing and knees/legs is still apparent. For Genesis 30:30 (in English: “the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned”), Bari uses a common expression that says (much like the Hebrew), ‘… blessed you to my feet.'” (Source: P. Guillebaud in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 189ff. .)

Other examples for the translation of “bless” when God is the one who blesses include (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight):

  • “think well of” (San Blas Kuna)
  • “speak good to” (Amganad Ifugao)
  • “make happy” (Pohnpeian)
  • “cause-to-live-as-a-chief” (Zulu)
  • “sprinkle with a propitious (lit. cool) face” (a poetic expression occurring in the priests’ language) (Toraja Sa’dan) (source for this and above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • “give good things” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • “ask good” (Yakan) (source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • “praise, say good things” (Central Yupik) (source: Robert Bascom)
  • “greatly love” (Candoshi-Shapra) (source: John C. Tuggy)
  • “showing a good heart” (Kutu) (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • “good luck — have — good fortune — have” (verbatim) ꓶꓼ ꓙꓳ ꓫꓱꓹ ꓙꓳ — ɯa dzho shes zho (Lisu). This construction follows a traditional four-couplet construct in oral Lisu poetry that is usually in the form ABAC or ABCB. (Source: Arrington 2020, p. 58)
  • wodala — denoting a person who is considered fortunate because he/she has something good that the majority of people do not have. It also acknowledges someone as a causative agent behind “being blessed.” (Chichewa) (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

In Tagbanwa a phrase is used for both the blessing done by people and God that back-translates to “caused to be pierced by words causing grace/favor” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation) and in Benabena a term denoted “good spell” or “good magic” (source: Renck 1990, p. 112).

Ixcatlán Mazatec had to select a separate term when relating “to people ‘blessing’ God” (or things of God): “praise(d)” or “give thanks for” (in 1 Cor. 10:16) (“as it is humans doing the ‘blessing’ and people do not bless the things of God or God himself the way God blesses people” — source: Robert Bascom). Eastern Bru and Kui also use “praise” for this a God-directed blessing (source: Bru back translation and Helen Evans in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) and Uma uses “appropriate/worthy to be worshipped” (source: Uma back translation).

When related to someone who is blessing someone else, it is translated into Tsou as “speak good hopes for.” In Waiwai it is translated as “may God be good and kind to you now.” (Sources: Peng Kuo-Wei for Tsou and Robert Hawkins in The Bible Translator 1962, pp. 164ff. for Waiwai.)

Some languages associate an expression that originally means “spitting” or “saliva” with blessing. The Bantu language Koonzime, for instance, uses that expression for “blessing” in their translation coming from either God or man. Traditionally, the term was used in an application of blessing by an aged superior upon a younger inferior, often in relation to a desire for fertility, or in a ritualistic, but not actually performed spitting past the back of the hand. The spitting of saliva has the effect of giving that person “tenderness of face,” which can be translated as “blessedness.” (Source: Keith Beavon)

Martin Ehrensvärd, one of the translators for the Danish Bibelen 2020, comments on the translation of this term: “As for ‘blessing’, in the end we in most instances actually kept the word, after initially preferring the expression ‘giving life strength’. The backlash against dropping the word blessing was too hard. But we would often add a few words to help the reader understand what the word means in a given context — people often understand it to refer more to a spiritual connection with God, but in the Hebrew texts, it usually has to do with material things or good health or many children. So when e.g. in Isaiah 19:25 the Hebrew text says ‘God bless them’, we say ‘God bless them’ and we add: ‘and give them strength’. ‘And give them strength’ is not found in the overt Hebrew text, but we are again making explicit what we believe is the meaning so as to avoid misunderstanding.” (Source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )

See also bless (food and drink), blessed (Christ in Mark 11:9), and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.

See also “Blessed by ‘The Blessing’ in the World’s Indigenous Languages” and Multilingual version of “The Blessing” based on Numbers 6:24-26 .

complete verse (Luke 24:44)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 24:44:

  • Noongar: “Then he said to them, ‘I truly told you these things when I was still with you: everything written of me in the Law of Moses, the writings of the Prophets, and in the Psalms; everything which must happen.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “After that he said to them: ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you. Everything that foretold my body that was written in the letters that were written by the prophet Musa and the other prophets and the Book of Songs of Daud, all of it had to happen.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “After that he said to them, ‘This is hep what I formerly said to you at the time when we walked together. I said hep that all that had been written about me had to be fulfilled, the things written in the law of Musa and what was written by the prophets and in the holy-book Jabur. Na, the things that happened to me fulfilled their writings.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then Jesus said to them, ‘This is what I was telling you about when I was still with you. Everything that God caused Moses to write about me long ago, and everything that he caused the other prophets to write, and even the things written long ago in the book of the Psalms, it was necessary that they be fulfilled by means of what has happened to me.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then he said to them, ‘These-things that have happened, it is exactly what I had been telling you when I was with you back before: all that Moses and the prophets wrote and that also which is in the book of Salmo concerning me must be fulfilled.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And then Jesus spoke to his disciples, saying, ‘This is what I was getting at in what I said while we were still going around together. Isn’t it so you-remember that I said it is necessary that all be fulfilled which was written in the word of God referring to me, all that which was written by Moises and the prophets and in the writing called the Songs?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 6:30)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 6:30:

  • Uma: “So, if God makes-beautiful that grass in the field–that are today and are burned tomorrow–how much more you! His care of you is more/surpasses. So why-in-the-world don’t you believe/trust his care?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If God can clothe so beautifully the flowers of the weeds which do not last, they live now and are burned tomorrow, na (and) you he cannot clothe? Really, your trust in God is very little.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “A weed has no value. We see it today, and before long it dries up and is burned. But if God makes even these weeds beautiful, of course he will also give you clothing. Why is your trust in Him so small?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If like that is the beauty that God gives to the weeds that are here now and are burned tomorrow, don’t-you-suppose it is more certain that he knows how to give you your clothing? Why therefore perhaps is your trust only a little?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Your belief/obeying and trust-in/relying-on me is really small, for if it’s like God clothes with flowers the weeds/brush which are alive today, but tomorrow will be thrown on the fire, well isn’t it so that you will all-the-more be clothed by him?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “For God himself makes the flowers of the fields appear beautiful. For these are in the field now, yet tomorrow they are burned in the ovens. How much more will God clothe you. Yet you do not believe very well that God will care for you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (1 Corinthians 16:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 16:17:

  • Uma: “I am happy about the arrival of Stefanus, Fortunatus and Akhaikus here. It’s like they are your replacements here to me.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I was really happy when Estepanus and Portunatus and Akaikus arrived here. Even though you could not all come, I can endure my longing because of these three,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I was really overjoyed when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived; it seemed as if my great loneliness for you was helped.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Great was my happiness at the coming of Estefanas and Fortunatus and Akaicus, because my missing you was reduced because of them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I was very happy when Estefanas arrived, along with his companions Fortunato and Acaico. Because what you couldn’t do because we were not together, they have now been able to do it for me.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I rejoice very much that your fellow townspeople Stephanas, with Fortunatus, with Achaisus have arrived here. Since you live a long way away, you can’t come here to greet me. But now it is as though you yourselves are greeting me in that now have arrived our brothers to greet me.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 1:25)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:25:

  • Uma: “Those messengers of the Parisi people also said: ‘If you (sing.) are not the Redeemer King, you (sing.) are not the prophet Elia, you (sing.) are also not the prophet that was promised, why are you (sing.) baptizing people?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then they asked Yahiya again they said, ‘Na, why do you bathe people if you are not the Almasi or the Prophet Eliyas or the prophet that our (incl.) tribe Isra’il is waiting for?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they asked him again, ‘If you are not the chosen by God to rule and you are not Elijah and you are not the foretold prophet, why do you baptize people?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘If you (sing.) are not the Messiah and you (sing.) are not Elias or (lit. and) the coming prophet, why then are you (sing.) baptizing?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “they next asked Juan, ‘Well why do you baptize if you are apparently not the Cristo, that Savior King who was promised by God, neither are you Elias and you aren’t the one meant by that Prophet either?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Again they asked, ‘But why do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet we spoke of?'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Imbabura Highland Quichua: ” . . .: “You say like, ‘I am neither the Messiah, I am neither Elijah, I am neither the Prophet.’ Being thus, why are you baptizing like this?’” (Source: S. Levinsohn in Journal of Translation 18/2022, p. 67ff. )

complete verse (Matthew 7:29)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 7:29:

  • Uma: “Because he did not teach like the teachers of religion. His teaching [was] as a person who really has authority/power.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “because Isa’s teaching was very different from the teaching of the teachers of the religious law. For Isa had power when he spoke.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus finished teaching there, and the many people who were gathered there were amazed because his teaching was not like the teaching of the teachers of the law. Because the teaching of Jesus, by contrast, had power.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “because in his teaching, they could-see that he had authority/rulership, not like the way of the teachers of the law.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because it was clear from his speech that he had authority to teach. Not like the explainers of law, who always quoted what had been said by the ancestors of the past.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because the teachers of the law do not speak forcefully when they speak, yet Jesus was like an official when he spoke, he spoke so that what he said was the final word.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (2 Corinthians 2:1)

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

  • Uma: “So, I said I had better not go visit you right away, for I do not want to make your hearts sad again, like what happened on my previous visit.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then I thought, I would not come so that I would not make you troubled/sad again.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of this, brothers, I decided that I would not visit you again if it was going to be just like my first visit to you. Because at that time my visit to you caused you grief.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Thus I decided that I wouldn’t visit you again if it was like my-preceding -visiting there at which you were saddened.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore, just like I said, I decided not to go to you yet, in which I would be bringing you big grief.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Therefore I thought that it would be better that I wouldn’t go there again, because if I had gone, it would only be that your hearts would be sad from the word I would reprimand you with concerning what you are doing.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 2:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 2:7:

  • Uma: “Yesus said saying to those workers: ‘Fill those water containers with water.’ They filled them full.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa said to the servants, ‘Fill those jars with water.’ They filled them until they almost overflowed.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill these with water.’ And they filled those jars up to the lip,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus said to the drink-servers, ‘Fill all of those rice-wine-jars with water.’ And they did that.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus instructed those servants. He said, ‘Fill up these jars with water.’ Without anything further, they transferred water into them till they were-full-to-the-brim.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Jesus said to the waiters, ‘Fill the big jars here with water.’ They filled them then.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)