Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 2:14:
- Noongar: “‘Great, great thanks to God, high in his Holy Country, and peace on our Earth. Peace to all good people. God is happy with them.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
- Uma: “‘Come let us worship God who is in heaven! and on earth, people whom he likes receive goodness of life.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “‘God is worthy to be praised in heaven and on earth may the people who please God be in peace/have peace.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “they said, ‘Let us (inc.) praise God who is in Heaven. And here on the earth may the situation become peaceful of all those people with whom God is pleased.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “‘God in heaven is honored/praised. The people on earth who make-him-happy will-be-at-peace.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “‘Praise God who is in the high-part of the sky/heaven. And here under the heavens, peace/protection of mind/inner-being is what he will give to people who are pleasing to him.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Kupsabiny: “God is big/great in heaven/up | peace is coming | to people who please/love God.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Bariai: “Let’s lift up Deo’s name who is living very high up! | And the people on earth whom Deo is happy with, his action of peace (lit. “of a smooth interior”) remains with them.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
- Mairasi: “‘We who are in the Heaven, we must honor Great Above One [God]! And then you guys, you who live in the world, you who are in Above-One’s vision [who are pleasing to Him], good peace is intended to be yours!’ said they.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
- Hausa Common Language Bible: “’Glory to God over there in heaven! | On earth let peace it remain | together with those whom God he feels pleasure of them!’” (Source: Hausa Common Language Back Translation)
- Pfälzisch translation by Walter Sauer (publ. 2012): “Honor belongs to God in heaven | and peace shall reign on earth | among the people | because he loves them.”
- Low German translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006: “Praise and honor for God the Lord above | and peace down here on earth for people who mean it with all their heart and have the favor.”
- Hawai’i Creole English: “Up in heaven where God lives, | may he continue to be awesome! | And here on earth | If God likes what people are doing | He’ll make their hearts rest within them.” (Source for this and two above: Zetzsche)
- English: “‘God is great! He lives in the highest place above. | He will bless the people on earth who please him. | They will have peace in their minds.’” (Source: EasyEnglish Bible)
- English: “‘May all the angels in the highest heaven praise God! And on the earth may the people to whom God has shown his favor have peace with him!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
The Greek in Acts 4:36 that is translated as “son of encouragement” in English is translated as
- “one who makes people receive a helpful word” in Ojitlán Chinantec
- “the person who makes our hearts be at peace” in Lalana Chinantec
- “he will encourage us” in Isthmus Mixe
- “one who enlarges (encourages) hearts” in Chichimeca-Jonaz
- “one who comforts” in San Mateo del Mar Huave
- “one who consoles people” in Tzotzil
- “gives gladness to those who weep” in Desano (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
- “The man who strengthens people’s interiors” in Bariai (source: Bariai Back Translation)
- “Child Who Turns Livers Good” in Mairasi (source: Enggavoter 2004)
- “owner of encouraging heart” in Hausa (source: Hausa Common Language Bible Back Translation)
See also Barnabas and encourage / comfort.
The Greek that is typically translated as “virtue” or “excellence” in English is translated in other languages in the following ways:
- Doondo / Bhele / Komo: “good behavior” (source: Madel M’Pandzou; Ung’i Atido)
- Bariai: “good behaviors” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
- Mairasi “improved lives/behavior” (Enggavoter 2004)
- Bali / Bila / Vanuma: “goodness” (source: Ung’i Atido)
- Ngiti (Ndruna): “doing good” (source: Ung’i Atido)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “good works” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “really good nature/ways” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “earnestly live good” (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Hausa: “character of goodness” (Hausa Common Language Back Translation)
- Mandarin Chinese: déxíng 德行 or “moral behavior” (Protestant) / yìlì 毅力 or “willpower” (Catholic)
- English EasyEnglish Bible (publ. 2018): “try to do what is good”
- Low German translation by Johannes Jessen (publ. 1937, republ. 2008): “stand your ground as a Christian”
- Pennsylvania Dutch: goot layva or “good life”
- Mukulu (Guerguiko): sooru ki diine or “walk in the middle” (source: Barnabas Al-Nadif Nidjei)
- Bokoto (Bhogoto): dɛɛmɔ nɛ riwarɛɛ or “behavior on the path (of life)” (source: Adam Huntley)
- Budu-Nita translation by CITBA (Centre Interconfessionnel de la Traduction de la Bible et Alphabétisation): mʉkyananakɨa wɔta uɗo or “good character” (source: François Anzabati)
- Ngiemboon : mà wembóŋo or “good habit,” i.e. something that is recognized as the right way to do things (source: Moise Yonta)
The Greek in Acts 17:18 that is translated into English as “babbler” is translated in a number of different ways:
- Fuyug: “birdbrain” (source: David Clark)
- San Mateo del Mar Huave: “man who does not know how to close his mouth”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “much-talker man”
- Teutila Cuicatec: “loud-mouthed fellow”
- Chichimeca-Jonaz: “person who does nothing but talk”
- Morelos Nahuatl: “man who talks so much” (source for this and four above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
- Low German: “know-it-all” (Klooksnaker) (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006)
- Hausa: “owner of noise” (source: Hausa Common Language Bible Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “boaster” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- Mairasi: “guy know who talks out of his own thinking” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
For various English translations, see Translation commentary on Acts 17:18.
The Greek that is often translated in English as “devout” (or “pious”) is translated in various ways:
- Lalana Chinantec: “[people who] revere God”
- Chichimeca-Jonaz: “[people who] obey and worship God”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “[people who] remember God”
- San Mateo del Mar Huave: “worshipers of God”
- Tzotzil: “[people who] are zealously doing what they think is God’s word”
- Mezquital Otomi: “[people who] very much believe what they have been taught about God” (source for this and five above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
- Chichewa interconfessional translation, publ. 1999: “[people who] love God” (source: Wendland 1998, p. 90)
- Uma: “[people who] submit to Lord God” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “very religious” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “[people who] are faithful in carrying out the commands of God” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “[people who] are serving God” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “[people who] are indeed devout-worshipers of God” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Bariai: “[people who] respect God” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
- Kupsabiny: “[people who] have dedicated themselves to God” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- German: “God-fearing” (gottesfürchtig) or “pious” (fromm)
- Low German translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006: “[people who] take their faith very seriously” (source for this and above: Zetzsche)
- Hausa Common Language Bible: “owners of worshiping God” (source: Hausa Common Language Bible Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “godly” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
See also righteous / righteousness.
The Greek that is translated in English as “Sovereign Lord” is translated as
- “you who are Chief, you own all of us, truly you are God” in Chichimeca-Jonaz
- “Big Father, you are God” in Isthmus Mixe
- “my Lord who is the greatest” in Lalana Chinantec
- “our Lord, he who is greatest before us” in Ayutla Mixtec
- “you, Lord God, who is very great” in Tepeuxila Cuicatec
- “you, the Lord able to do all things” in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac
- “God our Father, you are our Boss, the biggest” Tataltepec Chatino (source for this and all above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
- “Lord, Owner of All Power” in Hausa (source: Hausa Common Language Bible Back Translation)
- “Lord who is mightier than all” in Hiligaynon (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
The Hebrew that is translated in English as “vindicate (me)” or “judge (me favorably)” is translated in these ways:
- Kupsabiny: “declare me righteous” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “show everyone that I have no guilt” (source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “prove that I do not have sin” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- Eastern Bru: “request you say for other people to know I don’t have any sin” (source: Bru Back Translation)
- Laarim: “say that I am blameless” (source: Laarim Back Translation)
- Hausa: “show that I am lacking fault” (source: Hausa Common Language Bible Back Translation)
- Mandarin Chinese / German: “give me justice” (Source: Zetzsche)
- English Translation for Translators: “show that I am innocent/have not done what is wrong” / Easy English Bible: “show that I am not guilty of wrong things”
See also vindicated.
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 24:42:
- Uma: “That’s why I say be on the watch, for you do not know when your Lord will come.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “Therefore watch-out, for you do not know as to what day I will come.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Order your lives carefully because you don’t know when the day will be when I your Lord will return.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Therefore be always ready, because you do not know the exact day that your Lord will come.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “That’s why you are to be always prepared, because you don’t know which day your Lord will come.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Therefore be waiting, because you do not know what day or hour your Lord will come.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Hausa: “Because of this live with readiness, for you don’t know the day that your Lord will return.” (Source: Hausa Common Language Bible Back Translation)
