The Greek that is usually translated as “scribe” in English “were more than mere writers of the law. They were the trained interpreters of the law and expounders of tradition.”
Tboli: “one who taught the law God before caused Moses to write” (or “one who taught the law of Moses”) (source for this and 5 above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Noongar: Mammarapa-Warrinyang or “law man” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Mairasi: “one who writes and explains Great Above One’s (=God’s) prohibitions” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Chichewa: “teacher of Laws” (source: Ernst Wendland)
Lalana Chinantec: “one who is a teacher of the law which God gave to Moses back then”
Tepeuxila Cuicatec: “one who know well the law” (Source for this and four above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Huixtán Tzotzil: “one who mistakenly thought he was teaching God’s commandments”(Huixtán Tzotzil frequently uses the verb -cuy to express “to mistakenly think something” from the point of view of the speaker; source: Marion M. Cowan in Notes on Translation 20/1966, pp. 6ff.)
Germandas Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022): “theologian” and the 1998 translation by Walter Jens: “interpreter of scriptures” (Schriftausleger)
English translation by Scot McKnight (The Second Testament, publ. 2023): Covenant Code scholar
In British Sign Language it is translated with a sign that combines the signs for “expert” and “law.” (Source: Anna Smith)
“Scribe” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL , used with permission)
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 4:6:
Noongar: “The Devil said to him, ‘I will give you all these things, great power and wealth. Now I own all this, and I can give everything to the person I want.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “and he said to him: ‘The authority to rule all those kingdoms and all their wealth, I will give it all to you (sing.), because I am the lord of all, and I can give it whomever I want.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “The leader of the demons said to him, ‘I will give you authority so that you can rule over all these countries and their riches. For this has been given/handed over to me and I can give it to whoever I want to.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Satan said, ‘The rule over all these kingdoms and all of this wealth I will give to you. The rule over all of these is given to me, and it’s possible for me also to give it to whom ever I want to.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “The Diablo said, ‘I will give you (sing.) the authority to rule-over all those so that their wealth will be yours (sing.). Because all were given to me, and I am able to give them also to whomever I want.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Satanas said, ‘I really will submit to you the control and praiseworthiness/glory of all these kingdoms, for all of them are given to me. Therefore I can give them to whoever I want.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Bariai: “And then the bad man said to him, ‘I will put all these areas with their good things up into your hand. For it’s existing in my hand, and so I’m able to give it to whomever I want.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny (verses 6 and 7): “He told Jesus, ‘If you kneel for me, I will give you the authority to rule all these countries, because I have the authority to give to any one whom I have accepted/chosen.'” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Mairasi: “Then the malevolent spirit said to Yesus: “I will give You the authorities, the many things, everything in this world. Because all of these things I myself have already received then whoever [is in] my throat [to whomever I have in mind], then I will give it to him.” (Source Enggavoter 2004)
Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:5:
Huehuetla Tepehua: “That one who gives understanding to the minds of men, he was like a light that shines where it is dark. But the one who walks where it is dark (the devil) couldn’t overcome him.”
Ojitlán Chinantec: “For people are in the evil way, as if to say, they are in darkness. But he illuminates people. The evil one did not prevail over that one who illuminates people.”
Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “He is like a light which illuminates where it is dark. And the devil, he is of the darkness but he cannot conquer the light.”
Yatzachi Zapotec: “The person who is the word has light for the hearts of mankind. Even though there is very much evil in this world where he arrived, the evil did not shut off his light.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Chol: “The light of the world shows itself in the midst of a very dark world. This very dark world was not able to put out the light.” Wilbur Aulie (in The Bible Translator 1957, p. 109ff. ) explains the use of “put out the light” (click here to display)
“The problem of multiple meanings is often involved in the rendering of figures. Some hold that Greek katelaben in John 1:5 means both ‘to grasp with the mind’ (i.e., ‘to comprehend’) and ‘to grasp with the hand’ (i.e., to overcome’). Many translators are obliged to make a choice here. In Chol there is no choice, since the darkness cannot comprehend, even metaphorically speaking. It was therefore rendered: ‘The darkness did not put out the light’.”
Uma: “That light shone/shines in the darkness, and the darkness was/is not able to kill it/him [NOTE: The verb ‘kill’ can be used of putting out a light or fire]” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “This light shines in darkness and the light can really not be put out by the darkness.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “That light has illumined the darkness here upon the earth, and the light was not defeated by this darkness.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “He has-been-steadily-illuminating the darkness, and the darkness, it is not able-to-defeat the light.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “He gives-light/makes-clear like a light/lamp in darkness, but those who are in darkness, they don’t want to be shined-on by this light.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “The light shines in darkness and it is not able to be put out.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “This light lightens the darkness, and its light was not overcome by darkness. ” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Mairasi: “That is the true Light which already arrived in this world to brighten people.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Bariai: “The light shined in the dark place, yet it wasn’t possible for the darkness to surpass that light.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “That light shines in the darkness and that darkness doesn’t swallow (the) light.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations of Philippians 4:4:
Uma: “Relatives, you must always be glad because you are connected with the Lord. Once more I say: continually make-glad your hearts.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “You should be always glad because you belong to Isa Almasi. I repeat what I said there. You should be glad.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I say to you that you should continue rejoicing because of your being made one with the Lord, because it is good if your joy is always great.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “You ought to always be happy because of your being joined to the Lord. I again repeat to say that you should be happy.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “And well, that again, I keep repeating that you are always to be happy. Really be happy in your being united/tied-together with the Lord.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Always rejoice in that you walk with the Lord Jesus. Again I tell you, rejoice.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Bariai: “You (pl.) must be happy always in your joining together with the Chief. I speak again like this: Be happy!” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Mairasi: “Your liver must turn good [rejoice], because Above-One has united your liver with his. And again I will say: ‘You should/will be good livered [happy]!’” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “Be joyful at all times that you are connected with God and through him to each other. Let me repeat it: Be joyful!”
The Greek that is translated as “Son of Man” is mostly used by Jesus to refer to himself as well as in the prophecies of Daniel and Enoch (see Enoch 17:34 et al). It is translated in the following languages as (click or tap for details):
Tzotzil: “I who am equal with men” or “The Older Brother of Everybody” (“expressing the dignity and authority of the Messiah and the universality of his work”)
Tenango Otomi: “The Man Appointed” (i.e. the man to whom authority has been delegated) (source for this and preceding: Beekman, p. 189-190, see also Ralph Hill in Notes on Translation February 1983, p. 35-50)
Aguaruna: “One who was born becoming a person” (source for this and two above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Older Sibling of Mankind” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Child of a Person” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “One From Heaven Born of Man/human?” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Man who came from heaven” (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Yatzachi Zapotec: “One who God sent, who was born a human” (a direct translation would have suggested “that the father is unknown due to the indiscretions of the mother” and where “he is the son of people” is used when one wants to disclaim responsibility for or relationship with a child caught in some mischief — source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Kâte: Ŋic Fâri Wâtuŋne or “the man who is a true support” (source: Renck, p. 106)
Mezquital Otomi: “The son who became a person” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Alekano: “The true man who descended from heaven” (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation June 1986, p. 36ff.)
Central Tarahumara: “One who has been stood up to help” (“This suggests that Christ has been given authority to some appointed task. A very generic word, help, was selected to fill in the lexically obligatory purpose required by the word which means to appoint or commission. Usually this word is used of menial tasks but not exclusively. The choice of this generic term retains the veiled reference to the character of Christ’s work which He intended in using the ‘Son of Man’ title.”)
Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “He who is relative of all people.” (“The Triqui word for relative is a rather generic term and in its extended sense sometimes is diluted to neighbor and friend. But the primary meaning is relative.”)
Tepeuxila Cuicatec: “The Person who Accompanies All People” (“The literal equivalents ‘son of man’ and ‘son of people’ were both rejected because of the false inference of natural birth involving a human father. Furthermore, it was necessary to expand any translation of the Bible by the addition of the pronoun ‘I’ so as to clarify the fact that Jesus is using the third person in referring to Himself. A common expression used by the Cuicatecos when difficulties befall someone, is to say to that one, ‘don’t worry, we are accompanying you.’ By this they mean they share that person’s sorrow. When wedding guests arrive at the home of a son who has just been married, they say to the father, ‘We have come to accompany you.’ By this they mean that they have come to share the father’s joy. These expressions do not refer to ordinary physical accompaniment, which is expressed by a set of different verbs. For example, visits are always announced by some such greeting as, “I have come to visit you,’ ‘I have come to see you,’ or ‘I have come to ask you something.’ The desire to accompany a friend on a journey is expressed by saying, ‘I will go with you.’ Translation helpers used the verb ‘accompany’ in constructing the phrase ‘I, the Person who Accompanies All People.'(…) It reflects the fact that Jesus closely identified Himself with all of us, understands our weaknesses, shares our burdens, rejoices with us in times of gladness, etc.”) (source for this and the three preceding: Beekman in Notes on Translation January 1963, p. 1-10)
Guhu-Samane: “Elder-brother-man” (“Since the term denotes an elder brother in every way such as honor, power, leadership, representation of the younger, etc. it is a meaningful and fitting — though not ostentatious — title.” Source: Ernest Richert in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 198ff. )
Navajo (Dinė): Diné Silíi’ii — “Man he-became-the-one-who” (“This terra presented a difficulty not only in Navajo but also one peculiar to all the Athapaskan languages. It lies in the fact that all these languages, so far as we know, have a word phonetically similar to the Navajo diné which has three meanings: ‘man, people in general,’ ‘a man,’ ‘The People’ which is the name the Navajos use for themselves. (The name Navajo was first used by the Spanish explorers.) Although it seemed natural to say diné biye’ ‘a-man his-son,’ this could also mean ‘The-People their-son’ or ‘a-Navajo his-son,’ in contrast to the son of a white man or of another Indian tribe. Since the concept of the humanity of Christ is so important, we felt that diné biye’ with its three possible meanings should not be used. The term finally decided on was Diné Silíi’ii ‘Man he-became-the-one-who.’ This could be interpreted to mean ‘the one who became a Navajo,’ but since it still would impart the idea of Christ’s becoming man, it was deemed adequate, and it has proven acceptable to the Navajos.”) (Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )
Toraja-Sa’dan: “Child descended in the world” (“using a poetic verb, often found in songs that [deal with] the contacts between heaven and earth”) (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
Obolo: Gwun̄ Ebilene: “Child of Human” (source: Enene Enene).
Mairasi: Jaanoug Tat: “Person Child” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Costa Rican Sign Language: “It was impossible to translate the expression ‘Son of Man.’ The son-man sign simply means ‘male child.’ The Costa Rican Sign Language (LESCO) team opted for an interpretation of the term and translated it ‘Jesus.'” (Source: Elsa Tamez (in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 59ff. )
Lokạạ: wẹẹn wạ ọnẹn or “son of a person.” “This translation is symbolic in that it uses indigenous Lokạạ words. However, since the publication of the New Testament in 2006, this phrase has gained popularity within contemporary Lokạạ society as an expression to describe an important person whose career is going well. In the New Testament, the phrase ‘son of man’ is used to describe Jesus as prototypically human, but the Lokạạ phrase is now being used to describe an exceptional person in Lokạạ society.” (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )
In many West African languages, using a third person reference as a first person indicator is common practice with a large range of semantic effects. Languages that use the exact expression “son of man” as a self-reference or reference to another person include Lukpa, Baatonum, Mossi (“son of Adam”), Yoruba (“son of person”), Guiberoua Béte, or Samo. (Source: Lynell Zogbo in: Omanson 2000, p. 167-188.)
In Swahili the expression Mwana wa Mtu or mwana wa mtu or “son/daughter of human person,” which is used by several Bible translations, also has “the idiomatic meaning of ‘a human being’” (source: Jean-Claude Loba-Mkole in An Intercultural Criticism of New Testament Translations 2013, see here). The same is true for the Lingala expression Mwana na Moto — “son/daughter of human person.” (Ibid.)
In Balinese “we are again bordering on theological questions when we inquire as to which vocabulary shall be used to translate the texts where Jesus speaks of himself as ‘the Son of man.’ One of the fixed rules governing the use of these special vocabularies is that one may never use the deferential terms in speaking of oneself. This would be the extreme of arrogance. Now if one considers the expression ‘Son of man’ primarily as a description of ‘I,’ then one must continually indicate the possessions or actions of the Son of man by Low Balinese words. In doing this the mystery of the expression is largely lost. In any case the vocabulary used in most of the contexts would betray that Jesus means the title for himself.
“However, a distinction can actually be made in Balinese between the person and the exalted position he occupies. For example, the chairman of a judicial body may employ deferential terms when referring to this body and its chairman, without this being taken as an expression of arrogance. Considered from this standpoint, one may translate in such a way that Jesus is understood as using such deferential words and phrases in speaking of himself. The danger is, however, that the unity between his person and the figure of “the Son of man” is blurred by such usage.
“On request, the New Testament committee of the Netherlands Bible Society advised that ‘the sublimity of this mysterious term be considered the most important point and thus High Balinese be used.'”
“One of the first things that we did in working through the earlier part of the New Testament was to decide on how we would translate some of the more difficult technical terms. It was immediately obvious that something must be done with the translation of ‘the Son of Man,’ since the literal rendering anak manusia (literally ‘child of a man’) held absolutely no meaning for Malay readers. We felt that the title should emphasize the divine origin and authority of the one who used this title, and at the same time, since it was a title, we decided that it should not be too long a phrase. Finally, a phrase meaning ‘the One whom God has ordained’ was chosen (yang dilantik Allah). It is interesting to note that the newly-begun Common Indonesian (Alkitab Kabar Baik, published in 1985) has followed a similar route by translating ‘the One whom God has chosen’ (yang depilih Allah).”
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 4:10:
Uma: “Yesus answered: ‘Away, tempter! Because in the Holy Book it is written like this: ‘We (incl.) must worship the Lord God, our (incl.) Lord. He only is the one worthy for us (incl.) to submit to.’ ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Isa said, ‘Leave, demon, for it is written in the holy-book, it says, ‘You (pl.) shall prostrate (before) God your Leader/Lord and he shall be the only one you worship.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then Jesus burst out saying, ‘Satan, get away from me! There is a written saying of God which says, ‘The only thing you worship is the Lord your God. Anything else named god, don’t you obey his commands.’ ‘” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But Jesus answered saying, ‘You (sing.) go-away immediately Satanas! Because the written word of God says, ‘There is no other whom you (pl.) are to worship and serve but rather only God who is your Lord.’ ‘” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Jesus’ reply was, ‘Go far away now, Satanas! What is it that is written as-you-know? It says, ‘Only your (sing.) God is who you are to worship, and only he also are you to serve.”” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “But Jesus said: ‘Get away from me, devil. Because it is written in the Holy Book that only the Lord God is to be worshipped, no one else.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Bariai: “And then Iesus spoke to him like this, ‘Satan, you go far away! For God’s book has talk like this, ‘You (sing.) must lift up your Chief God’s name, and so you be holding his work alone.’” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “Jesus replied him that, ‘You enemy, get away from here. The writings (of God) say that, ‘You should kneel to/worship God and honour/obey him alone.’ ‘” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Mairasi: “Then Yesus said to him: ‘You demon/Satan, go away/over there! In the book it is already written: ‘You must worship Great Above One your Great Above One. And then you must always only honor/obey Him’ says he.'” (Source Enggavoter 2004)
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 15:4:
Mairasi: “‘Now suppose that one person from among you guys if the number of his domba [sheep] is one ratu [king; hundred], then one of them gets his face lengthened [lost] what will he himself the owner do? He himself will immediately leave his other domba animals, the four whole people and two hands and one hand and four [ninety-nine] of them, over there in the big grassy flat place. Then he will go look for that one which had a lengthened face [which was lost] continuously until he will find him.” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Noongar: “‘If one of you had 100 sheep and lost one of them, what would you do? A man would leave the other 99 sheep and he would look for this sheep, the lost one, and he would not stop, only when he finds it.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “He said: ‘For example one of our companions has a hundred sheep. If one sheep gets lost, what does he do? Definitely he leaves-behind the ninety-nine sheep in the field, and he goes to hunt for his lost sheep until he finds it.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “‘For example, if one of you has one hundred sheep and-then one of them goes astray, what do you (pl.) do? Certainly you (pl.) will leave the ninety nine there in the open-place and go to look for the one that went astray as long as you (pl.) do not find it.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “‘For example, one of you has a hundred domestic animals who are sheep, and one of them is lost. What does he do? Certainly he leaves those ninety-nine grazing and he looks for that one who is lost until he finds him.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “‘For-example, if there is among you an owner of a hundred sheep and one gets lost, what perhaps will he do? Surely (lit. indeed perhaps–connotes no doubt) he will leave the ninety nine in the grazing-area in order to go look for the lost one until he finds it.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “‘Supposing there is one of you who has a hundred sheep, and then suddenly/unexpectedly one of them was lost, well, what will he do? Isn’t it so that he will leave the ninety nine there in the eating/grazing-place, for he will look for this which is lost until he finds it?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tojolabal: “He has everything, and he has given us many favors.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)Uma: “There is no end to his love, and from his love he blesses us all, there is no end to the blessing we receive from him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Because there with the Word is all the love, we (incl.) all also profit/have a share in his love and help. His love and help is added to us (incl.) all the time/increasingly.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And since he is very gracious, the good thing which he blesses all of us with never stop.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “On-account-of his large mercy/kindness, he is continually blessing all of us who believe.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Through the big-size of his valuing us, his grace/mercy keeps-on-coming to us.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “All pertains to us what he gives. The favor he gives flows over us without limit.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Because of the big/great mercy/grace of Christ his blessings to us(incl) all just follow-one-after-another.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Mairasi: “is good insides are definitely very great, very good. That’s why we all already regularly receive goodness from Him Himself. He himself does not stop giving us His good insides.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Bariai: “For the action/practice of kindness was full in him. And this action of kindness of his, he transferred it to us (incl.) very greatly.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Kupsabiny: “We are all blessed completely because of the love which he has for us.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
