Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 16:8:
Noongar: “‘Then the boss praised his worker because he had thought quickly and prepared for what would happen. Because this world’s people know this world’s things and they know the way to use these things. In this world, they are wiser than the people of the light.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “‘When the rich man heard what that servant of his with bent behavior was doing, he just praised him, because he was clever hunting for an idea/plan so that his life would be good. Because people who do not know the Lord God are smarter/more clever arranging their lives with their fellow companions, than the cleverness/smartness of people who are in the light of the Lord God arranging their lives in the future.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “When the master heard what this deceiving servant of his had done, he praised him yet because he was wise. He said, he knows to think for his future.’ Then Isa said, ‘The people who do not follow/obey God are wiser than the people who follow/obey God, for they know how to cause their companions to profit for their own good.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then,’ said Jesus, ‘when that master of his heard what that servant had done, he said, ‘Hey! He is really wise, because he’s preparing now ahead of time his livelihood in the future.’ And Jesus said, ‘Those people who will not obey the word of God, they really know how to make things better for themselves. But as for the people who are followers of God, apparently they don’t really know the way in order that they might be better off in the future there in Heaven.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “‘When his master found-out, he praised that employee for his trickiness in thinking of his livelihood. Because it’s true that the people who don’t believe, they are wiser in doing-business-with their companions than those whose minds are enlightened,’ said Jesus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When that master of his observed, he spoke well of that deceiving manager of his, not because of that deception of his, but on the contrary, because he showed he could use his head. Because today, in this first life, the people who have no belief in God really know very well how to plan for their own benefit, much more so than the people of God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “Then the master praised the steward, for although the instigation of forgery was an offense, he had not acted foolishly. The children of the world are often clever in their dealings with one another, the children of God or the children of light are stupid in comparison.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 5:3:
Uma: “‘Blessed are the people who know how pitiful are their lives in the sight of God, for they are the ones who will be the God’s people/subjects, and God will be their King.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “‘Better off (lit. better yet) are the people who know, that God is not pleased with them, if they do not trust in him, because God is ruling over them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “He said, ‘Much better off are those who know they can’t do good if God doesn’t help them, because God will take good care of them when he rules.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “‘Fortunate are the people who know that they are poor in ability in the sight of God, because they are the ones who are included in his ruling.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “‘The people can be happy who regard themselves as really having no ability of their own to rely on but only on God, because they will be able to be included in his kingdom.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “‘The good fortune will be met by the people who are as though poor, because they find in their hearts that they lack what is good. Because these are the people who will enter the hand of God who is in heaven.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “Blessed are the poor people who are tormented, for they will be free when God is king.”
Enga: “God blesses those who set their hearts upon Him alone … ” (source: Adam Boyd on his blog)
Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 6:6:
Uma: “In all this, it is clear that we (excl.) are indeed God’s workers, for our (excl.) behavior is holy, we (excl.) know God’s Word, we (excl.) are patient, our (excl.) hearts are good to others, the Holy Spirit works in our (excl.) hearts, we (excl.) love others from our (excl.) heart.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “We (excl.) also show that we (excl.) are truly servants of God because of our good customs. We (excl.) are good (petten), we (excl.) know the true teaching, we (excl.) are not easily angry and we (excl.) have pity/are kind. It is clear that God’s Spirit is here with us (excl.) and that our (excl.) love to our (excl.) fellow-men is true/genuine.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We have avoided filthy activities; we properly understand the word of God, we are forgiving and we are helpful to everybody. The Holy Spirit guides us. We show our favor to everyone.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “It can also be seen that God is the one we (excl.) serve on account of our (excl.) clean behavior, our (excl.) knowing God, and our (excl.) patience and kindness to our (excl.) companions. It can also be seen because of our (excl.) ability that the Holy Spirit gives, our (excl.) sincere/heartfelt love,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “It can also be recognized that, as for us (excl.), (we are) God’s true servants by our (excl.) good lives, by our (excl.) acknowledging of God and our (excl.) understanding of the truth that comes/came from him, and by our (excl.) ways/nature which are meek/patient and gracious to our (excl.) fellow men. It can also be seen in the strength of the help of the Espiritu Santo to us (excl.), in our (excl.) true valuing of everyone,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “That which shows well that I do the work of God is that I walk good. And this good news, I know well about it. And I endure all that people do to me. And I have kindness towards people. And the Holy Spirit helps me so that I can do the work of God. And truly I do love all the people.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “Nevertheless, I try to remain God’s property, I strive for theological insight, I try to be patient and friendly, because I want to act according to the Holy Spirit and show my love without hidden motives.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 12:35:
Uma: “People who are good, definitely speak words that are good, because they continually think-about good [things/matters]. So also evil people, their words are also evil, because they continually think about evil [things/matters].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “A good person has good customs and says good things because he is/has good in his liver. But a bad person because he is/has bad in his liver therefore his customs and his speech are bad.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “A person whose custom is good, what he says also is good. A person whose custom is bad, what he says is also bad.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “The good person, what he brings-out is good, because of-course what is stored in his mind is good. But the bad person, what he brings-out is bad, because of-course what is stored in his mind is bad.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Because as for a person whose nature/ways are good, what comes out of his mouth is always good, because wholly good is what he stores in his mind. However as for the person who stores wholly evil in his mind, wholly evil indeed comes out of his mouth.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “The good person speaks the good word because his heart is good. But the person whose heart is not good has evil words in his heart and these come from his mouth.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “Like a large chest, a person’s heart contains a store from which he draws what he shares with others. If the heart contains a treasure, then what a person passes on is good. If it contains only worthless junk, he is passing on bad things.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 22:27:
Noongar: “Who is the greatest? The person sitting eating? Or the person giving him his food? Truly, the one sitting. But I sit among you like a person working for you.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “I ask you first: who is of highest rank? The one who sits eating, or the one who serves? Certainly the person who sits. But here am I in the midst of you like a person who serves you.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Who is greater, the one sitting down and eating or the one serving him? Is it not the one sitting and eating? But I am here with you like a servant.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now for example, who is the greatest? Is it the one who sits down to eat, or is it the servant who serves him? Well certainly the one who is greatest is the one who sits down; but in spite of that, I your master, I am like a person who serves you.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Who perhaps is the higher, the one who sits to eat or the one who serves him? The one who is served who eats, is it not so? But here I am serving you like a servant.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For who is more important, the one sitting at the eating-place or the waiter? Isn’t it so that it’s the one being served? But I who am your Lord am here among you like your servant.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “You can see that clearly: He who serves at the table stands, and he who lets himself be served lies down. Is the one who lies down greater? I am among you as your servant.”
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 5:32:
Uma: “But I say: whoever divorces [lit., releases] his wife, but his wife did not do wrong behavior [sexual connotation], he sins, because the one who divorces causes [lit., carries] his wife to commit adultery, if she should marry again. And the man who marries another’s ex-spouse, he also is committing adultery.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “But I, I say: when a man divorces his wife, and his wife has not committed adultery, the man is the reason for the adultery of the woman if she marries again. And whoever marries her commits adultery also.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But my teaching is: if a man that divorces his wife and she has not committed adultery against him, this man commits sin, for by means of this he is saying that his wife has committed adultery against him. And the man who marries that woman who was divorced by her husband, also sins.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But I say to you that the man who divorces his wife except if she committed-adultery (lit. manned-with), he causes-her-to-become an adulteress (lit. one who mans-with) if she marries again. The man also who marries a woman who has-been-divorced sins just the same by adultery (loan kamalala).'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But now/today, I am the one saying to you (pl.) that a man has sinned who divorces his wife when she hasn’t been compromised/acted-immorally-with by another man. Of course he has sinned because he will have caused this wife of his to fall-into-sin(fig.) of immorality if she then marries someone else. And whoever marries this woman who has been divorced, he also will have committed immorality.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “But I tell you that concerning a woman who is divorced by her husband, if she then marries another man, these two are committing sin. But it is the sin (fault) of the man who divorced the woman that this happens, because only a woman who has committed adultery can be divorced.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “Anyone who separates from his wife without her having broken the marriage causes her to break the [existing] marriage. And whoever marries a woman whose husband has separated from her breaks her [still existing] marriage.”
Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 6:7:
Uma: “It is clear that we (excl.) are God’s workers, for we (excl.) announce the true teaching, God’s power is clear in our (excl.) work. We(excl.) always have upright behavior, and that upright behavior of ours(excl.) we (excl.) consider our (excl.) sword and our (excl.) shield, for when our (excl.) behavior is upright, we (excl.) can oppose enemies and we (excl.) can ward-off the enemy’s persecution [of us].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Our (excl.) teaching is the true teaching and it is clear that God’s power is here with us (excl.). Our (excl.) straight behavior is figuratively like the equipment of a soldier for fighting his enemies and covering/shielding himself.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We teach the true word of God and the power of God helps us. By means of all of these, we can be identified as servants of God. Our shield and our sword is righteous doing.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “our (excl.) teaching what is true, and the power of God which he shows by-means-of us (excl.). We (excl.) also have righteousness that God gives which is compared to our (excl.) sword and shield.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “in our (excl.) teaching of the truth, and in the supernatural-power of God in our (excl.) lives. Our (excl.) righteousness in the sight of God, that is like the blade we (excl.) fight with and also what- we -use-as-a-shield against our enemies.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “God has strengthened me so that I am able to speak well the true word. And I earnestly endeavor to walk in all that is good so that in no way am I overcome by the evil which is everywhere.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “Strengthened by God himself, I want to say what is reliable. With both hands, I want to fight for more justice.”
Varisi “By the message that we (excl.) preach and the power of God, we take righteousness as a shield in our left hand and a sword for fighting in the right hand, so that we will be able to defeat the rubbish ways.” (Source: Carl Gross)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 16:26:
Uma: “What is the use we (incl.) gather all the riches of the world, if we (incl.) do not receive good life in the future. For there is nothing that we (incl.) may exchange for that good life.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “For a person, even if he owned all the wealth in the world, there would be no use in it if he does not have everlasting life. For there is no wealth in the world that can redeem him so that he has everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Even if a person comes to own the whole world, it is worthless for him if he is not given life forever. For there is nothing which he can exchange so that he will be able to own life forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because what do-you-suppose will a person be-able-to-gain if he comes-to-own the entire world and then his life is lost and he is punished for ever? None! Because there is nothing that a person can give-in-exchange for his life.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “For what does a person gain, even supposing all the wealth here in the world would be his, if his soul/spirit will be lost-permanently because it will have to go there to hardship/suffering which is without ending? Of course there’s nothing he can do which could free him from there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Because the person will not gain anything even though he becomes the owner of all the world and then loses his soul. No matter how much money he will pay, yet he is not able to save his soul.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Bariai: “For if a man is receiving all the things on the earth, yet he misses out on good life after his death, how will all those things of his help him? For no one is able to buy his living of later on.” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “What good is it if the whole world lies at your feet, but you have to pay for it with your heart? What is more precious than one’s heart?”
