In the Yatzachi Zapotec translation of the Gospel of John, any reference to the evangelist and presumed narrator is done in the first person.
The translator Inez Butler explains (in: Notes on Translation, September 1967, pp. 10ff.):
“In revising the Gospel of John in Yatzachi Zapotec we realized from the start that the third person references of Jesus to himself as Son of Man had to be converted into first person references, but only more recently have we decided that similar change is necessary in John’s references to himself as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ As I worked on those changes and questioned the informant about his understanding of other passages in the Gospel, I discovered that the reader misses the whole focus of the book as an eyewitness account unless every reference to the disciples indicates the writer’s membership in the group. In view of that we went back through the entire book looking for ways to cue in the reader to the fact that John was an eyewitness and a participant in a many of the events, as well as the historian.
“When the disciples were participants in events along with Jesus, it was necessary to make explicit the fact that they accompanied him, although in the source language that is left implicit, since otherwise our rendering would imply that they were not present.”
In this verse, the Yatzachi Zapotec says: “Then we said to him . . .”
In the Yatzachi Zapotec translation of the Gospel of John, any reference to the evangelist and presumed narrator is done in the first person.
The translator Inez Butler explains (in: Notes on Translation, September 1967, pp. 10ff.):
“In revising the Gospel of John in Yatzachi Zapotec we realized from the start that the third person references of Jesus to himself as Son of Man had to be converted into first person references, but only more recently have we decided that similar change is necessary in John’s references to himself as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ As I worked on those changes and questioned the informant about his understanding of other passages in the Gospel, I discovered that the reader misses the whole focus of the book as an eyewitness account unless every reference to the disciples indicates the writer’s membership in the group. In view of that we went back through the entire book looking for ways to cue in the reader to the fact that John was an eyewitness and a participant in a many of the events, as well as the historian.
“When the disciples were participants in events along with Jesus, it was necessary to make explicit the fact that they accompanied him, although in the source language that is left implicit, since otherwise our rendering would imply that they were not present.”
In this verse, the Yatzachi Zapotec says: “And Jesus realized that we wanted to ask him what it meant, and he said to us . . .”
In the Yatzachi Zapotec translation of the Gospel of John, any reference to the evangelist and presumed narrator is done in the first person.
The translator Inez Butler explains (in: Notes on Translation, September 1967, pp. 10ff.):
“In revising the Gospel of John in Yatzachi Zapotec we realized from the start that the third person references of Jesus to himself as Son of Man had to be converted into first person references, but only more recently have we decided that similar change is necessary in John’s references to himself as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ As I worked on those changes and questioned the informant about his understanding of other passages in the Gospel, I discovered that the reader misses the whole focus of the book as an eyewitness account unless every reference to the disciples indicates the writer’s membership in the group. In view of that we went back through the entire book looking for ways to cue in the reader to the fact that John was an eyewitness and a participant in a many of the events, as well as the historian.
“When the disciples were participants in events along with Jesus, it was necessary to make explicit the fact that they accompanied him, although in the source language that is left implicit, since otherwise our rendering would imply that they were not present.”
In this verse, the Yatzachi Zapotec says: “Then he said to us. . .Then we threw our fish nets and we were not able to pull them back into the boat, so many fish had gone into them.”
Following are a number of back-translations of John 2:24:
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “But Jesus did not put himself into their hands.”
- Ojitlán Chinantec: “But Jesus did not believe in the multitude.”
- Umiray Dumaget Agta: “He did not trust their belief.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
- Uma: “But Yesus did not believe them, because he knows the hearts of all people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “But Isa did not trust them for he knew the thoughts and inside of the liver of all mankind.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However Jesus was not convinced of their faith in him because he knew what was in the breath of all mankind.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “But Jesus didn’t indeed acknowledge-as-true that their believing-in/obeying him was genuine, because he knew the nature/ways of them all.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “But Jesus didn’t have confidence in those people because he knows all that people think.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of James 5:4:
- Uma: “The people who work in your gardens, you didn’t/don’t give them salary. Listen to their groaning/suffering! The workers who harvest in your gardens cry out requesting help, and their cry is heard by the Lord God, the Leader of the soldiers of heaven.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “You, the rich people, you did not pay wages to the people working in your field. Listen to their complaints. The people you told to harvest your fields really complain and they are heard by the Most Powerful God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The money which you did not use to pay those who worked in your fields will be evidence against you before God. The accusation of those who harvested on your land has been heard by the powerful Lord.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “And God who is all powerful, he has most-definitely seen the money you withheld that you should have paid-as-salary to those who worked-by-the-day harvesting in your fields. He has also heard their pleas-for-mercy.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “For look at this, as for the wages which you didn’t give to those you caused to harvest in your fields, it’s like they are noising-loudly. (They are) asking for help against you. It’s true that the pathetic-lamentings of these whom you caused to work can reach to God who is almighty (lit. of superior supernatural-power).” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “The workers who work in your fields, you haven’t given them their wages. They accuse you that you haven’t paid them. God who alone rules all things hears what the workers say as they accuse you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Mezquital Otomi: “Hear the cries of your workers, those who harvested your fields. They are crying because you have deceived them and you haven’t paid them as they were deserving. But our Lord, indeed the King of all the many angels in heaven, has heard the cries of those your workers.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “Think how you did with your laborers, those poor men who harvested your harvest. You deceived them so they would work for you and you did not pay them their full wages. And in that you owe them it is apparent that you are evil-doers. God will hear the laborers, in their mourning, God who rules the angels in heaven.”
- Alekano: “After they had done sweaty work cutting the grass in the garden, and you had unfairly not given them pay, the workers cried, and God saw that sin . . .” (Source for this and two above: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.)
For the Old Testament quote, see Isaiah 5:9.
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 2:22:
- Uma: “Who are those liars? The liars are people who deny that Kristus is the Redeemer King. They are the enemies of Kristus, for they reject God the Father and God the Child.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Now, who is a liar? The liar is a person who says that Isa is not the Almasi who is chosen by God as ruler. The person who says this is the Opposing Almasi. He does not believe-obey in God and his Son.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Who is the liar? He is the one who says that Jesus is not the one chosen by God to rule. The one who says this is an enemy of Christ, for he says that our Father God is not the true one to be worshipped, and he also says that Christ is not the Son of the true God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Who then is the liar if not the one who says that Jesus is not the Cristo whom God sent? The one who says this, he is the one who opposes Cristo, and it is not only God’s Child whom he does not acknowledge but rather God as well.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Who am I referring to as being a liar, if not the one who gives out that as for Jesus, he is not that Cristo who is the Savior King was promised by God? A person like this is who is meant by opponent of Cristo, he who rejects God the Father and his Son Jesu-Cristo.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Let us know who the liar is. The liar is that one who says that Jesus is not the Christ whom God appointed to rule. That one is the enemy of Christ because he denies the Father and he denies the Son of God.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “The person is a liar who says about Jesus that he is not the Christ the Son of God. The person who shoves aside our father God and his son, that person does contrary to Christ.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “We know which word is a lie. That which denies that Jesus is the same as the Christ, the Chosen-One of God. He is God’s enemy who says that, and thinks that Jesus Christ is not God’s Son. Neither does he believe the Father.”
- Tzotzil: “If we say ‘Jesus Christ has not been given his work by God,’ we are lying. If we say ‘God is not the father of Jesus Christ,’ we are opposing Christ.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “Who is a liar? The person who says of Jesus, ‘He is not the true Christ,’ that one is a liar. The one who says, ‘No’ about-the-Father, and also, ‘No’ about-the-Son, that one is Jesus’ enemy.”
- Yanesha’: “Who is a deceiver? A deceiver, is he not one who denies how that Jesus is Christ? This one who is mad at Christ is the one who denies how the Father is God and how his Son who is Jesus is the one who Christs.”
- Aguaruna: “Who is more a liar that one saying ‘Jesus is not Christ,’? (rhetorical question, only possible answer is ‘no-one’) The one who says that, he is the one who is angry at Christ, that one you saying ‘God isn’t our Father,’ and also ‘Christ is not God’s son,’ he says it.”
- Murui Huitoto: “The one who says that Jesus is not the Christ lies. He is an impostor of Christ. He makes God’s Word as nothing. He also makes God’s sons word as nothing.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 4:2:
- Uma: “This is a sign so that we know who is controlled by the Spirit which is from God: all people who admit-confess that Yesus is the Redeemer King who became a man/human, those people are-children of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Like this you can recognize the people that have God’s Spirit: whoever says that Isa Almasi came to the world in the body of a human/mankind, that person has God’s Spirit.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Any spirit which says that Jesus, the one God chose to rule, has become human, that spirit comes from God. By means of this, you can perceive the spirit which comes from God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “The way-that-you -can-distinguish whether the Holy Spirit is the source of what they are saying is this: if they acknowledge that Jesus is the Cristo who became a person, the Spirit of God is where it is from.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Like this is how you can know if it is the Espiritu Santo who was caused to indwell (us) by God who really is the one inspiring (lit.putting it in the mind of) a person. The one who testifies that as for Jesu-Cristo, he really became a real human and came down here to the world, it’s certain that the Espiritu Santo of God is inspiring him.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “I will tell you how you can know whether it is true that the Holy Spirit put into the person’s mind the words he speaks or not. Everyone who says that Jesus Christ truly became human, that is one who truly speaks God’s word.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “This is how we may know if the Spirit of God is in the head-heart of a person: Everyone who says that Jesus Christ is God and he was born a man on this earth, we know that the Spirit of God is in his head-heart.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “We must know which word is really God’s Word. If it says that God’s chosen-One became a person and he is Jesus Christ, that is really the Word of God.”
- Tzotzil: “I will tell you how it is if we have received the Spirit of God. If plainly we say ‘Jesus Christ has come and took his body here in the world (became a person),’ we have received the Spirit of God for sure.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “The one who says, ‘Jesus Christ arrived with-his-very-body,’ says it by God’s Spirit. By that means we recognize God’s Spirit. Only the very one who says that is from God.”
- Yanesha’: “Here, therein you will know our Father, his following: Whichever is the one which admits that Jesus Christ was born as a human here on earth, that following comes from our Father.”
- Aguaruna: “‘Jesus Christ becoming person was born,’ saying, that thought it is of God. Like that you all are able to know ‘It belongs to God,’ saying.”
- Murui Huitoto: “Everyone who tells that Jesus Christ became a man pertains to God. From telling like this you will know God’s teller.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 John 5:13:
- Uma: “To you who believe in God’s Child I write this letter, so that you truly know that you have received good life forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “I write this to you so that you will be assured that you have everlasting life. This writing is for you the ones who trust in God’s Son.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You who have believed in the Son of God, I write to you so that you might know that you already have life without end.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “I have written these-things to you who believe in the Child of God so that you will come-to-know that you have in you the life that has no end.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “As for these things, I’m writing them to you who believe-in/obey and trust the Son of God, so that you can be sure that as for you, you have life which is without ending.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “I write these words in the letter here that those who believe the Son of God will know that they have the new life forever.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “I have written these things to you, who now trust in God’s son, so you will know that you have eternal life.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “This I am writing to you so that you will know that you possess the new life, because (in that) you believe God’s Son.”
- Tzotzil: “Therefore I wrote you this, you (pl.) who have also believed the word of God’s Son in order that thus you know that you will live forever.” (Source for this and two above: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
- Candoshi-Shapra: “I am writing to those of you who rest-the-whole-weight of your hearts on God’s Son. I am writing to you in order that you may learn (come to understand) eternal life, that which you possess.”
- Yanesha’: “These things I wrote to you, you who believe in our Father’s Son, then, thus will you know of a truth, that you will not always be in a mortal state (capable of dying), forever.”
- Aguaruna: “I’m writing to those of you who believe in God’s Son, ‘that they know they will always live,’ saying.” (Source for this and two above: Mildred Larson in Notes on Translation, July 1965, p. 1-15)
