The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin that is often translated as “gentiles” (or “nations”) in English is often translated as a “local equivalent of ‘foreigners,'” such as “the people of other lands” (Guerrero Amuzgo), “people of other towns” (Tzeltal), “people of other languages” (San Miguel El Grande Mixtec), “strange peoples” (Navajo) (this and above, see Bratcher / Nida), “outsiders” (Ekari), “people of foreign lands” (Kannada), “non-Jews” (North Alaskan Inupiatun), “people being-in-darkness” (a figurative expression for people lacking cultural or religious insight) (Toraja-Sa’dan) (source for this and three above Reiling / Swellengrebel), “from different places all people” (Martu Wangka) (source: Carl Gross).
Tzeltal translates it as “people in all different towns,” Chicahuaxtla Triqui as “the people who live all over the world,” Highland Totonac as “all the outsider people,” Sayula Popoluca as “(people) in every land” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Chichimeca-Jonaz as “foreign people who are not Jews,” Sierra de Juárez Zapotec as “people of other nations” (source of this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), Highland Totonac as “outsider people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Uma as “people who are not the descendants of Israel” (source: Uma Back Translation), and Yakan as “the other tribes” (source: Yakan Back Translation).
In Chichewa, it is translated with mitundu or “races.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
See also nations.
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Peter 4:3:
- Uma: “For you spent a long enough time doing like what is done by people who do not know the Lord. At that time, your lives were unseemly, you followed your evil desires/wants, you kept getting drunk, continually partying, continually being unruly, and you worshipped lords that are not fit to be worshipped.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “You have done enough of those deeds that give pleasure to those who don’t follow/obey God. Formerly you committed fornication-adultery and did (things) men and women/did immoral things, you always got drunk and when you gathered together to have fun you always drank. And you worshiped idols and that is really hated by God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For it is necessary that you no longer do the evil things that people who do not believe in God want to do. For long ago your behaviour was filthy; what your body desired was evil; you were drunkards, and the pleasures which you displayed at gatherings where you drank were evil. God was very disgusted with you for you worshipped false gods.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because already too-much is the time you wasted previously in doing what those who have no God like to do. Because previously, you were doing the whatever filthy and shameful-things that your bodies desired. You were-getting-drunk, you were joining in wild parties (lit. excessive happinesses), and you had no shame in your worshipping idols (lit. imitation gods).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Enough now! It really is not possible/acceptable for you to still continue the evil which you kept doing in the past when you had no knowledge of God. For in the past your nature/ways were like this, indulging in disgusting desires with no self control at all, the habit of lustful stares, getting drunk, and disgusting doings which are done during your worshipping of pretend gods.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Let be finished the evil you did in past days when you lived like the people who do not believe in God live. They do not want to be restricted, they do their own pleasure, they are drunk, they are boisterous at their fiestas, they drink intoxicants without stopping, and do evil when they worship handmade idols.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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