The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the HausaCommon Language Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.
Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Peter 1:6:
Uma: “Because of that [lit., From there], relatives, you must always be glad. Even though at this time your heart is sad because there are many kinds of trials hitting you, your hearts are still/nonetheless glad. For that sadness of yours is just for a short time,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Therefore you ought to be happy even if you suffer/endure now for a short time because of the different kinds of trouble that have come to you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of that, you can now rejoice even though you are troubled for a while now because of many persecutions which you have to endure.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “You-are-happy/be-happy because of all these, even though you admittedly have to suffer various-kinds of hardship for a short-while.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “That’s why you can really be happy. Admittedly you indeed have griefs now which are many-many persecutions/caused-hardships, but these won’t last long.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Therefore be happy now, even though there comes the time that you will be sad when you pass through various sufferings.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).
Be glad about this is literally “in which you rejoice.” The antecedent of “which” is not at all clear in the text. There are three possibilities.
1. It could refer back to God or to Jesus Christ in verse 3.
2. It could refer to the end of time in verse 5.
3. Finally, it could refer to everything mentioned in verses 3-5.
All three are possible, although most commentaries prefer the third alternative: the Christian’s joy is grounded in the fact that God has given him new life, a living hope, a certainty of receiving God’s rich blessings, and of possession of salvationat the end of time. Most translations are ambiguous at this point. The Good News Translationthis (in Be glad about this) simply points back, but does not make the intended antecedent clear. A literal translation (as in Revised Standard Version) would make the antecedent the last part of verse 5. A translation like “You should be glad about all these things” would be much better (compare Barclay “You must rejoice in all this”).
Be glad about this must be made somewhat more explicit in some languages, for example, “be glad about what God has done” or “be happy about what is going to happen.” The expression “about what is going to happen” may, of course, refer specifically to the salvation which is to be revealed, but it can also refer to the rich blessings which will come to believers.
The Greek verb for “rejoice” may be either indicative or imperative. Many modern translations understand it as imperative because it fits what follows better. (However, see Phillips “This means tremendous joy to you”; New American Bible “There is cause for rejoicing here.”)
The command to be glad is now qualified by the observation that it may now be necessary for the readers of the letter to be sad for a while. Here again, there are two possibilities of understanding this clause: First, Peter may have been presenting a hypothetical case; the readers are not now suffering, but if they have to suffer, then they will still be glad, knowing that their suffering will be temporary (for example, Jerusalem Bible, Moffatt). But secondly, Peter may have been describing the actual situation of his readers; they are now undergoing sufferings and trials of all sorts. This is reflected in many translations, for example, Phillips “even though at present you are temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials and temptations”; Barclay “Even if at the moment you are involved in a situation in which you are bound to be distressed by all kinds of troubles.”
The so-called adversative clause introduced by even though may be expressed in some instances by “but,” for example, “but it may now be necessary.”
It may now be necessary for you may be restructured as “you may now have to” or “you may now be caused to.”
The qualifiers of now and for a while may be combined in some instances as “you may for a time be forced to be sad.”
The phrase to be sad translates a Greek verb which can mean physical suffering (as in Revised Standard Version “to suffer”; Spanish Common Language [Biblia Dios Habla Hoy], Phillips “temporarily harassed”). In this context, however, the focus is not primarily on physical suffering but on the mental condition arising out of the experience of suffering, hence Good News Translationto be sad; Knox “to sadden your hearts”; Barclay “to be distressed.” Taken this way, it would be parallel (although adversely) to be glad.
If one is to translate to be sad as the opposite of be glad, one can sometimes employ a negative expression. For example, be glad may be rendered as “be happy,” while to be sad may be rendered as “to be unhappy.” Frequently, however, to be sad is expressed figuratively, for example, “to sink within one’s heart” or “to feel pained within one’s liver.”
The word trials translates a Greek word which can also mean “temptation” to sin or to become unfaithful to God, but here it refers primarily to the difficulties and troubles which the Christians at that time were facing because of their faith. A literal translation would of course focus on the former meaning, and therefore many modern translations have used a word which would focus on the latter meaning (for example, Barclay “troubles”; but compare Phillips “trials and temptations”). Many kinds points to the diversity of these difficulties; the letter, however, does not go into any specific detail as to what these troubles were.
The many kinds of trials you suffer may be expressed as “the many different ways in which you suffer” or “the many different ways in which you are caused to suffer,” or “the many different ways in which people make you suffer” or “… cause you trouble.”
For a while is literally “for a little.” But what does this expression refer to? It could refer to the brevity of the trials as contrasted to the rich blessings in verse 4, which are eternal. But what does this brevity mean? It could mean either that these trials are only temporary, and that the Christians will soon expect a time of peace on earth; or that the trials will soon end at the end of time, as mentioned in verse 5. This latter understanding seems to be in focus here, in which case the trials and persecutions are part of the “messianic woes,” that is, the upheavals immediately before the end of time.
Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The First Letter from Peter. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
The two parts of this verse contrast with each other. The believers greatly rejoiced in what God had done for them, even while they were enduring various kinds of troubles. The Berean Standard Bible and many other English versions supply a word like “though” to connect these ideas (1:6a and 1:6b). Consider the best way to connect them in your language, while also keeping the connection between verses 5 and 6.
In some languages it may be necessary to use two sentences. For example:
In this you greatly rejoice. It is true that now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
1:6a
In this you greatly rejoice: There are two ways to interpret the Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as In this you greatly rejoice :
(1) Peter’s readers rejoiced because of what God had done for them (1:3–5). For example:
This is a great joy to you (New Jerusalem Bible)
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Century Version, NET Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, God’s Word, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible)
(2) Peter was encouraging his readers to rejoice because of what God had done for them (1:3–5). For example:
Be glad about this (Good News Translation)
(New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English versions.
In this: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this refers to all the blessings Peter mentioned in verses 3–5. It may be more natural in your language to use a plural form. For example:
You are extremely happy about these things (God’s Word)
greatly rejoice: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as greatly rejoice means “be very happy.” Some other ways to translate this word are:
extremely happy (God’s Word)
-or-
truly glad (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
are very glad
1:6b
though: The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the word though here to indicate contrast. See the note on 1:6 above. The believers had to suffer, but even so, they rejoiced. Some other ways to introduce this contrast is:
even though
-or-
although
-or-
in spite of
Use a natural way in your language to introduce such a contrast.
now: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as now is a time word. It refers to the time when Peter was writing. It contrasts with the future time of salvation in 1:5. Some other ways this may be translated are:
presently
-or-
at this time
for a little while: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for a little while refers here to a brief time. In this context it means that Peter’s readers would only have to suffer for a short time. The Lord would soon deliver them. Another way to translate this is:
for a short time (NET Bible)
you may have had to suffer grief: There are two ways to interpret Peter’s statement concerning to suffer grief in this context:
(1) Peter spoke of his readers’ suffering as a fact. He implied that his readers were already suffering. For example:
even though for a short time yet you must bear all sorts of trials (New Jerusalem Bible)
(New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, King James Version; probably New International Version, Revised English Bible)
(2) Peter spoke of his readers’ suffering as a possibility. He implied that it was possible that his readers might have to suffer or might have suffered. For example:
even if you have to go through many hard trials (Contemporary English Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version; possibly New American Standard Bible)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), which agrees with most commentators.
The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you may have had to suffer grief is more literally “if necessary, you having been grieved.” This grieving from suffering had begun in the past, had continued in the present (“now”), and would continue for a little while in the future. So you should use an expression that would be as general as possible with regard to time.
suffer grief: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as suffer grief is literally “be grieved.” It refers to the grief, sadness or emotional pain that people feel when they have trouble. This is a passive verb, and it may be natural for some languages to translate it that way. For example, the English Standard Version says:
you have been grieved (English Standard Version)
1:6c
in various trials: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as various trials refers to the difficulties the people have been experiencing. Languages have different ways to express the experience of bearing such trials. Some ways to say this in English are:
to be sad…because of the many kinds of trials you suffer (Good News Translation)
-or-
to endure many trials (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
must bear all sorts of trials (New Jerusalem Bible)
trials: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as trials refers to the various problems and difficulties Peter’s readers were experiencing. These trials included troubles that came from other people who were persecuting them because they believed in Jesus Christ. Another way to say this is:
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®).
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.