divorce

In Ghari different words are used for a husband divorcing a wife and a wife divorcing a husband. (Source: David Clark)

In Mairasi the term that is used means “discard.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)

See also divorced (woman).

reconcile, reconciliation

The Greek terms that are translated as “reconcile” and “reconciliation” in English are translated in various ways. Nida (1952, pp. 140) says this:

“The North Alaskan Inupiatun describe reconciliation in the simple terms of ‘making friends again.’ That is to say, ‘God was in Christ making friends again with the world.’ The Uduk in the Sudan express this same truth, but in the rather interesting phrase ‘meet, snapping fingers together again.’ This expression is derived from the Uduk’s practice of snapping fingers together when they meet each other. Instead of shaking hands, they extend their thumbs and middle fingers and snap fingers together, but only friends will do this. Men who have something against each other refuse to acknowledge each other in this way. And so it is that the natural man is an enemy of God; he refuses to snap fingers with God, but God has come to reconcile man to Himself and through Jesus Christ has brought man into fellowship with Himself. Man and God may now meet ‘to snap fingers together again.’

“The Tai Dam of Indo-China employ quite a different figure of speech. They say that reconciliation consists in ‘rubbing off the corners.’ This does not refer to social acceptability, but to rubbing off the corners so that two objects, meant for each other, will fit together. Man is regarded as being incapable of fitting into the plan and fellowship of God because of the sin which has deformed him and which stands out as an ugly growth on his personality. The corners of iniquity must be rubbed off so that man may be reconciled to God and made to fit into God’s eternal plan for the world.”

Other translations include:

  • “our hearts become good toward him” in Tzeltal
  • “he makes us his friends again” in Huehuetla Tepehua
  • “we are brought close to him” in Highland Totonac
  • “he is no longer angry with us” in Sayula Popoluca
  • “being put in a state of well-being with God” in Yatzachi Zapotec
  • “opposition to God was healed” in Chol (source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • “man has-a-good-relationship/is-in-harmony-again with God” in Muna (source: René van den Berg)
  • “have become friends of God” in Western Bukidnon Manobo (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • “brought together with God” in Tenango Otomi (source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • “receive Deo’s action of peace which came to us” in Bariai (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • “be at peace with Great Above One” in Mairasi (source: Enggavoter 2004)

complete verse (1 Corinthians 7:11)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Corinthians 7:11:

  • Uma: “But if she is already separated from him, she is not to get married again. If not that [i.e., if she doesn’t like that], she should return to her husband. And a husband also is not to separate from his wife.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But if there is a woman who has left her husband she should not marry a different man or she should go back to her husband and be reconciled with him. A man also should not divorce his wife.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now as for you married couples, I also have a word for you. This is not just my advice to you, but rather it is a command of our Lord. It is: as for woman, she must not divorce her husband; and a man, he must not divorce his spouse. However, if there is a woman who has already divorced her husband, it is not possible that she get married again. It is possible for them to come back together.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But if she leaves-him, she must continue to be-alone/single or return to her husband. As for the man also, he must not divorce his wife.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But if she does separate-from/divorce, it’s necessary to continue in her unmarried state. If she doesn’t want to stay single, she must return to her husband. And it’s also a command to the men, you are not to separate-from/divorce your wife.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But if a woman has already separated from her husband, it is necessary that she not marry again. Or better, she should live with her husband again. In like manner the man too should not separate from his wife.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Corinthians 7:11

The first half of this verse is an aside by Paul, so it has been put in round brackets (parentheses). The second half of the verse complements what Paul said in 10b.

The phrase if she does may be expressed as “if she does this” or “if she leaves (or, takes a different road from) her husband.”

Remain single: the language is the same as that in verse 8. Reconciled is used elsewhere in the New Testament to refer to the restoration of good relations between God and men (for example, 2 Cor 5.18-20), but it is used here in the setting of human relationships.

In languages that do not use the passive, the phrase be reconciled may be rendered as “go back to” or “reconcile herself with.”

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Corinthians 7:11

7:11a But if she does, she must remain unmarried

And even if she does divorce/leave him, then she should remain/stay unmarried,
-or-
And if you ever do go away from your husband, then do not marry anyone else.

7:11b or else be reconciled to her husband.

or else she should go back to live with her husband.
-or-
If you do not want to stay single/unmarried, then return to your husband and be his wife again.

7:11c And a husband must not divorce his wife.

And if you are a husband, you must not divorce/leave your wife.
-or-
And you husbands, do not send your wives away.

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