Bruce Moore (Wycliffe) – Page 16

deny oneself

The Greek that is translated with “deny himself” or “deny oneself” is according to Bratcher / Nida “without doubt one of the most difficult expressions in all of Mark to translate adequately.” These are many of the (back-) translations:

Tetelcingo Nahuatl: “not accept self”
Amganad Ifugao and South Bolivian Quechua: “forget self”
North Alaskan Inupiatun: “have no regard for oneself”
Toraja-Sa’dan: “not bother oneself about oneself”
Huautla Mazatec: “cover up oneself”
San Miguel El Grande Mixtec: “not worship oneself”
Tzeltal: “stop doing what one’s own heart wants”
Yaka: “let go that which he wants to do oneself”
Cashibo-Cacataibo: “say, I will not do just what I want to do”
Tzotzil: “say, I do not serve for anything” (in the sense of having no personal value)
Sapo: “not do what is passing through one’s mind”
Central Mazahua: “not take constant thought for oneself”
Tabasco Chontal: “quit what one wants”
Highland Totonac: “undo one’s own way of thinking”
Dan: “put one’s own things down”
Kekchí: “despise oneself”
Kituba: “refuse oneself”
Javanese: “turn one’s back on oneself”
Southern Bobo Madaré: “disobey oneself” (in the sense of denying one’s own wishes)
Huastec: “leave oneself at the side”
Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “leave one’s own way”
Loma: “take one’s mind out of oneself completely”
Panao Huánuco Quechua: “say, I do not live for myself”
Mitla Zapotec: “say No to oneself” (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
Copainalá Zoque: “forgetting self”
Huallaga Huánuco Quechua: “declare, I do not live for myself” (source: Nida 1952, p. 154)
Galela: “put self down” (source: Howard Shelden in Kroneman 2004, p. 501)
Mairasi: “shuffle out of one’s vision (=forget) everything which is one’s own” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
Q’anjob’al: “do not belong to oneself any longer” (source: Newberry and Kittie Cox in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 91ff. )
Achi: “don’t do only what one wants to do”
Chipaya: “leave one’s own way of living” (source for this and above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

the life was the light of all people

The Greek in John 1:4 that is translated as “the life was the light of all people” or similar in English is translated in Huehuetla Tepehua as “that one who gives life, he is the one who gives understanding to the minds of men,” in Ojitlán Chinantec as “he teaches people the right and straight way according to truth, as if to say, he illumines them,” in Tzotzil (San Andres) as “The one that causes people to live, he is like light. This one who is like light…,” and in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac as “and he showed people what is truth. And thus he was as it were a light to the people.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)

I find no crime in him

The Greek that is translated as “I find no crime in him” or similar in English is translated as “not a single fault do I find in this man” in Ojitlán Chinantec, “I don’t find any sin in this man” in Huehuetla Tepehua, “it is not known to me even a little bit of bad which he has done” in Aguaruna, “I think this man has no sin” in Chol, and “it is not apparent that this man is guilty” in Yatzachi Zapotec.

(Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)

Ephphatha

The Greek and Aramaic in Mark 7:34 that is translated as “‘Ephphatha’, that is, “Be opened.'” in English is translated in Balangingi as “in his own language ‘Ephphata.’ Its meaning in Balangingi is ‘would that your ears might hear.'” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

feed my lambs

The Greek in John 21:15 that is translated as “feed my lambs” in English is translated as “teach my people my words, as if to say you will feed my little sheep” in Ojitlán Chinantec, “teach my word to the men who are like lambs” in Huehuetla Tepehua, “help those who believe in me” in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac, “teach the people who have just begun to trust in me” in Yatzachi Zapotec and “now do like a shepherd does. Take care of the people who believe in me” in Tenango Otomi.

(Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)

fishing

The Ghari translation uses different terms for “fishing”: with nets when fishing for fish and with a line when fishing for men. (Source: David Clark)

The translation for “fishing” (when referring to catching fish) in Ojitlán Chinantec is “catching water animals” and in Aguaruna “killing fish.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)

Click or tap here to see a short video clip showing the different kinds of fishing with a net in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)

he said

The Greek that is translated in English as “he said” or similar is translated in Shuar as “but although he knew the young child was really dead, he said to them.” Commentaries are generally agreed that Jesus’ statement in this verse was not made to deny the actual death of the girl, but rather to suggest an immediate resurrection. In some languages, a literal and unexplained rendering of the statement by Jesus “the child is not dead” implied that he was not aware of her condition. In another it implied that he was attempting to deceive the people into thinking she was just sleeping. This attempted deceit was interpreted as an attempt to quiet the crowd and make them willing to go outside. (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

they clothed him in a purple cloak

The Greek in Mark 15:17 that is translated as “they clothed him in a purple cloak” or similar in English is translated in Mezquital Otomias “they clothed Jesus with a purple cloth like kings wear.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

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Source: Bruce Moore (Wycliffe)