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.

complete verse (1 Timothy 5:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 5:13:

  • Uma: “So, if they are still young, don’t write their names in the book of widows. For they will go-around-being-lazy and constantly visit in others’ homes. And they are not only lazy, they are also story toters, wanting to get involved in the affairs of others, and speak about things/words that are not fitting to be spoken about.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They also become accustomed to being lazy to work and what they do is walk all over the village/go from house to house. And not only that they also gossip and stick-their-nose-into/meddle in the business of their companions, they always speak what they should not say.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And not only that, for they easily become lazy, and they are always visiting in the houses. And not only that, for they become gossipers, and they meddle with what is not their business, and they discuss what is not good to be discussed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Another reason you shouldn’t add them to the list, they will grow-accustomed to laziness and they will merely repeatedly-wander-around to the various-houses while at-the-same-time they will be chattering-idly and meddling-with what their companions are doing, indiscriminately-spreading (lit. being-noisy-about) what has no right to-be-said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And another thing, if you include the still young, maybe they will be lazy. What they’ll do (lit. know) is, house-visiting with all the other people. Well there indeed, they’ll then be making a habit of evil which is interfering in what isn’t their business and gossiping too.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Or else they might end up as gadabouts going from house to house. And not only gadabouts, even they will gossip about their fellowmen where they go about they speak words not proper for them to speak. And they will meddle in the lives of the people where they visit.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Timothy 5:13

Verse 13 starts with a connective that marks the information that follows as an addition to the information given in the preceding verses. This connective is represented in Revised Standard Version by Besides that and in Good News Translation by “also.” It is clear therefore that further reasons are given in this verse for not including the younger widows in the roll of real widows. In addition to their desire for sexual satisfaction, these younger widows also learn to be idlers; the term here can be taken either in a neutral sense as referring to being inactive and not doing any work, but more likely in a judgmental sense, indicating deliberate wasting of time (compare Good News Translation) and habitual refusal to engage in any meaningful activity. Learn is in the present tense (literally “are learning”), which seems to indicate that idling around is not yet a set habit but is in the process of development.

Part of their idling around is gadding about from house to house. Gadding about translates a present Greek participle that can be literally rendered “going around” (Good News Translation). This is in contrast to the activities of the real widow that are centered in her own home. These younger widows not only waste their time but those of other people as well. Gadding about will be rendered in some languages as “going into this house and that house,” and in others there will be specific idioms for this very common type of activity. Contemporary English Version‘s model for this first sentence is a good one: “Besides, they will become lazy and get into the habit of going from house to house.”

Furthermore, these young widows engage in activities that are “worse” (Good News Translation). Several things need to be noticed. First, the Revised Standard Version rendering not only idlers is what the text literally says, but the context clearly suggests that the activities subsequently mentioned are worse than simply refusing to engage in meaningful work. Secondly, this last part of this verse is governed by the verb learn (compare Good News Translation), which again indicates that these bad states have not yet become habitual among the younger widows but are in the process of becoming part of their nature.

Gossips translates a noun derived from a verb that means “to talk nonsense,” that is, to speak without making sense and without any understanding of what is being said. Gossiping may be included in this activity, since it also involves talking nonsense about other people’s affairs; these young widows may have engaged in this activity as they went around from house to house. The term, however, can be understood in a more generic way to include any speech activity that is not only nonsensical but irresponsible as well. In many languages there will be vivid expressions for this kind of activity; for example, “good at whispering behind other peoples’ backs.” Busybodies, on the other hand, translates a word that means “to meddle in someone else’s business.” The last part of the verse, saying what they should not, seems to refer primarily to talking nonsense and not to meddling in other people’s affairs, unless this latter activity is interpreted as also primarily verbal, in which case saying what they should not would be related to both activities. This latter interpretation seems the more likely one.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on 1 Timothy 5:13

5:13a

At the same time: Paul used the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as At the same time to introduce a second reason that younger widows should not be added to the list of widows.

they will also learn to be idle: The Greek term that the Berean Standard Bible translates as idle refers to not remaining busy, not working, and being lazy. Widows who were on the list were supported by the church. For that reason, they did not need to work to get the things they needed. As a result, some of them could get into the habit of doing nothing. Instead, they were supposed to use their time to help others.

5:13b

going from house to house: Paul was saying that while these younger widows were idle, they began to spend their time going from house to house visiting people. One reason that they did this was to learn what these people were doing. Then they were gossiping about it with other people (5:13d). Some languages will have idiomatic and descriptive ways of speaking about these things.

5:13c

not only: Paul used the words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as not only to indicate that there were other things that young widows often did when they were not busy managing their homes (5:14c). It is implied that these things were even worse than just being idle.

5:13d

but also gossips and busybodies: The young widows were also acquiring two other bad habits: they were becoming gossips and busybodies.

gossips: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as gossips refers to people who enjoy talking about other people when they are not present. Gossips also pass on rumors about other people.

busybodies: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as busybodies refers to people who are curious and meddlesome. This kind of person asks about what another person is doing. Then he or she gives people advice even though they have not asked for advice and do not want it. Your language may have an idiomatic way of saying this that you could use here.

5:13e

discussing things they should not mention: This part of the verse summarizes 5:13d. One of the reasons that it is wrong to gossip and be a busybody is that such a person says things that she ought not to.

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