The Hebrew, Ge’ez, and Greek that is usually translated into English as “peace,” when referring to one’s inner peace, is (back-) translated with a variety of idioms and phrases:
“rest the heart” (Central Mazahua) / “rest within” (Lacandon) (source: Nida 1952, p. 40 and 128ff.) / “wait well in your heart” (Yatzachi Zapotec) (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
The Greek that is translated in English as “brother” or “brother and sister” (in the sense of fellow believers), is translated with a specifically coined word in Kachin: “There are two terms for brother in Kachin. One is used to refer to a Christian brother. This term combines ‘older and younger brother.’ The other term is used specifically for addressing siblings. When one uses this term, one must specify if the older or younger person is involved. A parallel system exists for ‘sister’ as well. In [these verses], the term for ‘a Christian brother’ is used.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae)
In Matumbi is is translated as alongo aumini or “relative-believer.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
In Martu Wangka it is translated as “relative” (this is also the term that is used for “follower.”) (Source: Carl Gross)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is often translated as Mitchristen or “fellow Christians.”
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 16:11:
Uma: “So, let it not be [lit., don’t don’t’] that some don’t pay attention to him. Give him a good send-off, so that he can return to me here in good shape, for I am waiting here for him with his friends.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Don’t humble/disrespect him. And when he continues in his travelling, help him so that he will have a good trip and so that he will be able to come back to me. Because I expect him to arrive here together with some of our (incl.) brothers.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You must respect him, and when he continues on his journey, help and show your love for him, so that he might be able to return here to me, because I’m expecting him and his companions who are our fellow believers.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “See that no one looks-down-on him but rather help him properly when he leaves to return here so that his thoughts of you will be good, because I am waiting for him and for his companions who are our brothers.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Don’t belittle him, but rather help him so that he can return here to me happily. Because I am waiting for him, and his companion siblings in believing.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Concerning this Timothy, respect him. When he leaves to come back to me, help him to arrive here. Because I await his coming along with the ones who accompany him.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kao (御顔) or “face (of God)” in the referenced verses.
Let no one despise him may be rendered as “Don’t let any person among you look down on him.” They may have been inclined to do so because Timothy was young (see 1 Tim 4.12). Despise is more literally “treat as nothing.”
Speed him on his way: see 1 Cor. 16.6. Speed here does not mean “fast”; it rather refers to “help” (Good News Bible): “you must help him to continue his trip.” Good News Bible‘s “you must” translates a Greek imperative “send him on,” literally “send him forward in peace” (see 7.15).
Expecting him can be rendered as “expecting him to return.”
Brethren probably refers to male fellow workers in this verse. This is the view of New Revised Standard Version (also in verse 12), which elsewhere uses inclusive language as consistently as possible.
Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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