one

The Greek that is translated as “one” in English in these verses (John 10:30, 17:11, 17:21, 17:22, and 17:23) is translated in Kikuyu as ũmwe or “one singular entity.” This translation required a complex theological interpretation in relation to the nature of the trinity and the unity of Jesus and his disciples. The translators determined that both the unity of the Father and Jesus is that of “one person” or “the same” as well the unity between Jesus and his followers (and the followers to each other).

A.R. Barlow (in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 29ff. ) explains:

“‘One’ in Kikuyu is expressed by the stem -mwe combined with a prefix appropriate to the noun it qualifies (when used as an adjective) or represents (when used as a pronoun). As in all Bantu languages, nouns fall into groups or classes, each of which, generally speaking, has its distinctive prefix. Thus with the word for ‘shoe’ (kiratu) –mwe becomes kĩmwe (kĩratũ kĩmwe ‘one shoe’); with the word for ‘man,’ ‘person,’ ‘being’ (mũndũ) it becomes ũmwe (mũndũ ũmwe “one person”). Singular and plural are likewise distinguished by change of prefix, and a singular noun necessitates the use of a singular prefix with its associated adjective or pronoun, whereas a plural noun requires its adjective or pronoun to take a plural prefix.

“In common with other adjective-pronouns –mwe assumes plural as well as singular forms. When used with a plural noun it conveys one of three meanings: (a) ‘one lot (set. kind, family, fraternity, group, etc.),’ (b) ‘the same,’ or (c) ‘some.’ The form appropriate to persons, men, beings (andũ) is amwe.

“So in translating ‘one’ in any of the above passages in St. John’s Gospel we have to choose between ũmwe (sing.) and amwe (pl.).

“The choice involves questions as to the nature of the Trinity and the character of the unity which being ‘in Christ’ imparts to His followers, both in relation to Himself and to one another. This is a case in which the translator cannot avoid theological issues.

“In John 10:30 (‘I and my Father are one’) by using ũmwe we are stating ‘I and my Father are one (person, entity)’ or ‘the same.’ Grammatically the use of ũmwe (sing.) is wrong; ‘I and my Father’ should strictly be followed by the plural amwe. But the use of amwe (‘one lot’) would denote a mere family or sectional relationship.

In John 17:11 and 17:22 (‘so that they may be one, as we are one’) also, grammar demands amwe (in both occurrences of ‘one’). But this would again limit the desired degree of unity to that of membership in a family or other (more or less) close association: ‘that they may be united (associated, belong to the same fraternity), even as we are united (etc.).’ If a deeper, more mystical union is to be indicated we are thrown back on ũmwe: ‘that they may be one person (one entity), even as we are one person (one entity).’ Or are we to differentiate between the disciples and the Divine Persons and use amwe for the former and ũmwe for the latter?

“In all these passages the existing Kikuyu New Testament has ũmwe, whether the reference is to the disciples or to Christ and the Father. As far as I am aware this has never been criticized by our African Christians, although in 17:11, 21, and 22 its use in ‘that they (all) may be one’ might even convey the sense ‘that they (all) may be reduced to one,’ i.e. to a single individual!”

Note: All three currently (2022) available Kikuyu Bible translations (Ibuku Rĩrĩa Itheru Rĩa Ngai; Kiugo Gĩtheru Kĩa Ngai, Kĩrĩkanĩro Kĩrĩa Gĩkũrũ Na Kĩrĩa Kĩerũ; and Kĩrĩkanĩro Gĩa Gĩkũyũ) still only use ũmwe in all of the above instances.

See also this lectionary in The Christian Century .

In the Protestant Mandarin Chinese Union Version and the Catholic Sigao version the oneness is expressed with a historical Chinese idiom: hé ér wéi yī (合而為一 / 合而为一) or “united as one” is used. (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)

Note that all versions also use their respective translations in Ephesians 2:14.

See also one in hand.

blameless

The Greek that is translated as “blameless” or “guiltless” or similar in English is translated in Huautla Mazatec as ni̱jme jìn kjoa̱ xi chꞌao tjín koansjaitꞌain or “do not find any ugly / bad matter for them.” Jean Paul Gotopo Maldonado who is participating in the work on a new translation explains: “In Huautla Mazatec there is no term to indicate the irreproachable character of a person, therefore this concept is described with a phrase.”

In the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version it is translated with a historical Chinese idiom: wúkě zhǐzhāi (無可指摘 / 无可指摘) or “beyond reproach (lit. “nothing to point out”).” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)

See also blameless (Luke 1:6) and blameless (Job)

busybody

The Greek in 2 Thessalonians 3:11 that is sometimes translated in English as “busybody” is translated in Chokwe as mukwa moko a jiji or “he with the hands of a fly.” D. B. Long (in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 87ff. ) explains: “This seems startling, but then these people have a firsthand knowledge of flies in large numbers, and thoroughly detest them. They say they dabble in everyone’s food and add insult to injury by rubbing their ‘hands’ first in front of them and then behind. So a busybody is always puttering in other people’s affairs and he does not always rub his hands in the same way: part of hit is behind his back, you are never sure that you know what he is doing.”

In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated as “someone killing time.”

In the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version it is translated with a historical Chinese idiom: hàoguǎn xiánshì (好管閒事 / 好管闲事), lit. “easy talk (about) side matters.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.) Note that the Protestant Union Version uses the same idiom for “mischief maker” or “meddler” in 1 Peter 4:15.

mark

The Hebrew in Ezekiel 9:4 and Ezekiel 9:6 that is translated as “mark” or “sign” in Protestant English Bibles was translated in the Latin Vulgate translation as signa thau or “signs of Thau.” The Hebrew had used tav (תָּו) which means “mark” or “sign,” but was interpreted here as strictly referring to tav (taw) (ת), the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

This is a tradition that Catholic Bibles, for into the 1940s which the Vulgate was the source version, have maintained until the present day. While the 16th century English Dhouay-Rheims version translated this directly as mark Thau, later versions either translated this as “X” (New American Bible, including its Revised Edition), but were more commonly using cross (Knox, Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Catholic Bible, Christian Community Bible). In a footnote it usually says something like this: “Literally, ‘with a tau.’ This was the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and in the old script a cross was the symbol for it.”

Indeed, this is what tav looked like historically:

Source: Wikipedia

Protestant Bibles in English, with the exception of the recent Evangelical Heritage Version (2019), all use a form of “mark.”

Other languages have the same tradition. The French Catholic La Bible de Jérusalem uses croix, the Mandarin Chinese Sigao translation says 一個十字記號 (yīge shízì jìhào) or “a mark in the sign of a cross,” the Portuguese Bíblia Ave Maria uses cruz, the Polish Biblia Tysiąclecia uses Taw (and mentions in a footnote that taw used to be written in the form of a cross), the German EinheitsübersetzUng has Taw as well, and the Spanish El Libro del Pueblo de Dios has “T.”

This last translation (“T”) also found its way into a series of stained glass window from the Three choir windows in the Marienkirche, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, of the 14th century (note the “T” in the antichrist’s halo as well as on the forehead on his followers):

Source: Das Antichristfenster by Ludger Каup, 2010

Incidentally, the German word for devil is “Teufel” (in the spelling “tiuvel” in the 14th century), which likely helped the choice of the “T” for the mark.

See also other stained glass windows from the Marienkirche in Frankfurt.

human authority

The Greek in 1 Corinthians 9:8 that is translated as “human authority” in English is translated in the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version with a historical Chinese idiom: rénzhī chángqíng (人之常情) or “human common sense.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)

idle tale

The Greek in Luke 24:11 that is translated into English as “nonsense” or “idle tale” is translated as

  • “empty talk” (Uab Meto)
  • “wind talk” (Indonesian)
  • “carried-around story” (Ekari)
  • “purposeless talking” (Kele)
  • “words that-frighten without-reason” (Toraja-Sa’dan)
  • “talk without foundation” (Pohnpeian, Chuukese) (source for all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • “telling a fairy tale” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004).
  • “women’s gossip” (Weibergeschwätz) (German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord, publ. 1999)
  • “weird talking” (dwatsche Snack) (Low German translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006)
  • “what-they-had-made-up” (Tagbanwa) (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • “silly talking” (Noongar) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • “baseless talk” (wújīzhī tán / 無稽之談  / 无稽之谈) (traditional idiom in the Mandarin Chinese Catholic Sigao version)

double-minded

The Greek that is translated as “double-minded” in English is translated in Owa as “double-hearted” (doubt; first one thought, then the opposite) (source: Carl Gross) and in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with zwei gegensätzliche Seelen in der Brust haben or “having two opposed souls in one’s chest” (in James 1:8).

In the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version and the Protestant Union Version it is translated with two forms of one historical Chinese idiom: sānxīn liǎngyì (三心兩意 / 三心两意) and sānxīn èryì (三心二意), both: “three hearts, two minds.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)

See also double-minded.

they would have repented

The Greek in Luke 10:13 that is translated as “they would have repented” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with hätten sich selbst diese hartgesottenen Sünder bekehrt or “even these hard-core sinners would have repented.”

In the Catholic Mandarin Chinese Sigao version it is translated with a historical Chinese idiom: yìlùn fēnfēn (改過自新 / 改过自新), lit. “make amends and start afresh.” (Source: Toshikazu S. Foley in Hong Kong Journal of Catholic Studies, 2011, p. 45ff.)