Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 9:50:
Uma: “‘Salt is very useful. But if its saltiness changes with the result that it is plain/tasteless, what else could make it salty? So also, you who follow me must be like salt: Don’t let your faith become weak. You must live in unity.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “He also said, ‘You do know that salt is really good. But if the salt has no more taste, it cannot become salty again. Therefore you also,’ he said, ‘you should be careful in order that you do not lose your reciprocal-respect and your reciprocal-harmony.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Not only that but salt is good because it makes food delicious, however, if salt loses its flavor, there is no way to bring back its flavor. And the same way, your works must be like salt so that you might be the means for making people better. And it is necessary that your relationship together with each one of you must become peaceful.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “The salt, it has a purpose, but if it becomes-tasteless, it’s tang can definitely not be returned. So think about the use of salt and help-each-other so that you will be in-harmony.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Salt is good as long as it is indeed salty. But if it’s no longer salty, how can it be made salty again? Well as for you (pl.), you must make it your habit to be like the saltiness of this. For if you make your nature/ways like this, it’s for the benefit of one another. And persevere with being like-minded which will result in your fellowship/companionship with your fellowman being peaceful.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Mazaltepec Zapotec: “Salt gives flavor (makes food taste good). There is salt which is mixed with earth. This salt loses its flavor. If the salt loses its flavor, with what can we restore its flavor? You, my disciples, should be like good salt which does not lose its flavor. Thus you will be in peace among yourselves.”
Southern Puebla Mixtec: “Salt is good so that food will not go bad. But if the salt is not salty any more, how can we use it? We cannot. So you do like the good salt does. Care for your heart so that it will not go bad. You had better live at peace with one another.”
Korku: “Salt is good to make food acceptable, but if its saltiness is lost leaving only that which is not salt, it is no longer useful to make food acceptable. You also should have something like that in your own hearts so that you will be acceptable to one another and be at peace.” (Source for this and two above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): “Salt preserves. If the preserving power of salt could be lost, we would no longer have salt to preserve itself. Peace is like salt. Have salt with you, that means: keep peace with one another.”
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 Mark 4:6:
Uma: “When the sun got hot they withered until they became dry, because their roots were not deep.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “When the sun shone-brightly, immediately it drooped and because it’s roots were not deep, it withered.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But when the sun came out, the plants quickly withered because their roots could go down only a little way.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But when the sun rose-high, they wilted and withered, because their roots were insufficient.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But when the heat became scorching, they shrivelled because there was nowhere where they had been able to put down deep roots.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Mezquital Otomi: “And when the sun rose it dried up and died, because its roots had not grabbed.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 20:47:
Noongar: “They cheat widows and seize their houses, but afterwards, they want people to see them praying a long time! Their punishment will be worse!'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “They deceive widows and grab their houses. And they hide the evil of their behavior with long prayers. Their punishment will be very heavy.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “They cause difficulties for the widow women so that they will get their houses, and they worship for a long time, pretending that they are good people. Surely they will receive a great judgment in the afterworld.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for these teachers of the Law, they cheat widow-women in order to come to own the houses of those women, and their prayers are very long but these are used to cover up their evil deeds. God has great punishment for them in the future.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “They moreover deceive widowed women to thus get their possessions and even their houses while at the same time they make-their prayers -very-long in the sight of the many-people. In-the-future indeed (prophetic formula) their punishment will be heavier.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “And they also use up the livelihood of widow women by what they cause to be given by them. And because they want to cover their ways which are evil, they make their prayers last a long time. Their punishment really will be very heavy.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Ibaloi: “They wickedly take the possessions of widowed women, and when they go to their church they make long prayers, so that they will say that they are good people. Big is the punishment of God on them.” (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 8:16:
Uma: “But they did not know the meaning of that riddle, so they began talking among themselves, they said: ‘The reason he said that is that we don’t have any bread.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “His disciples spoke-among-themselves about what he had said because they did not understand it. They said, ‘Perhaps that’s why he speaks like that, because we (incl.) didn’t take bread along.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They didn’t understand that it wasn’t really for bread he was talking about. So they were talking together, they said, ‘The reason he says this is because we did not bring our supply of bread.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When he told them that, they talked-together saying, ‘Jesus said that because we have no bread for our pack-lunch.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “When those disciples heard, they said-among-themselves, ‘He spoke like that because we don’t have any bread with us.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Usila Chinantec: “They asked each other why he had said this, and finally decided that it was because they had no bread.”
Michoacán Nahuatl: “Then they began to say to each other, He said this because we didn’t bring bread. They spoke thus because they did not know that Jesus was talking about the teaching of the Pharisees and of Herod.”
Tzotzil: “There they began to say among themselves, In all probability it is because he knows that we have not brought bread. The disciples said this among themselves because they did not realize what the yeast was that Jesus talked about, that it is like the teachings of the Pharisees and of Herod.” (Source for this and two above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 19:30:
Uma: “But many people who are important [lit., whose lives are big] at this time will become unimportant [lit., their lives are small] in the future. And many also the people who are unimportant [lit., small their lives] at this time will become important [lit., big their lives] in the future.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “But many who are first now will be last in the future, and many who are last now will be first in the future.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But many are the people today who seem to be big in rank, but their rank will be very small in the future. And many also are the people today who are very low in rank but in the future they will be very high in rank,’ he said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But many who are high/great now will be made-low/humble, and also many who are low/humble now will be made-high/great.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But it’s true that many are important today in man’s opinion who will become low-class/insignificant when that day comes. And many are only low-class/insignificant today in man’s opinion, but they will become important in the kingdom of God.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Many people are respected here, but on that day very little will they be respected. Many people are not respected here, but on that day they will be respected.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Choapan Zapotec: “Some people rule the days they walk on earth. When they arrive where God is they will no longer rule. Some people don’t rule the days they walk on earth. When they arrive where God is they will rule.”
Tlahuitoltepec Mixe: “Many whom people think are important, desirable, God is going to make small, and he will better cause to come out pretty those whom people think are not important or desirable.” (Source for this and one above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 10:31:
Uma: “But many people who have big lives at this time will have small lives in the future. And many also who have small lives at this time will have big lives in the future.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Many who are ahead now, will be behind in the future and many who are behind now, will be ahead in the future.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There are many people today who seem to have high status, but in the future, their status will be very small. And there are many people today whose status is very small, but in the future, their status will be high,’ he said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But many who are high/great nowadays will be brought-low, and also many of the low nowadays will be made-high/great.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But the truth is, there are many who are great/important today in man’s opinion who will become insignificant/low-class when that day comes. And they are many today who are only insignificant/low-class in man’s opinion who will become great/important in the kingdom of God.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Choapan Zapotec: “Some people rule the days they walk on earth. When they arrive where God is they will no longer rule. Some people don’t rule the days they walk on earth. When they arrive where God is they will rule.”
Tlahuitoltepec Mixe: “Many whom people think are important, desirable, God is going to make small, and he will better cause to come out pretty those whom people think are not important or desirable.” (Source for this and one above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 4:14:
Uma: “The planter(s), they are people who announce God’s Word.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “The person who broadcasted seeds,’ said Isa, ‘if explained, he is the man teaching/preaching the word/message of God to the people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “In my parable, the meaning of the person’s planting is the spreading of the word of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “The meaning of the parable is this. The seeds that were sown, that is the word of God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “This is the meaning of that one. That seed which was scattered is the word of God which is being taught.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Isthmus Mixe: “The sowing person he sowed the seed; thus it is also how God’s word is spread.”
Usila Chinantec: “The one who sows is like one who speaks the word of God.”
Chuj: “The man who sowed the seed, that means he spread forth the word of God.”
San Mateo Del Mar Huave: Then he began to tell them what he taught the story about. He said,Well, that sower there is like one who talks the word of God. (Here the transition to the explanation has been made explicit as required by San Mateo Del Mar Huave) (Source for this and three above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.).
