Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the addressee).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 10:12:
- Uma: “We(excl.) really don’t dare to follow the behavior of those there [where you are] that put their own selves forward. We(excl.) are not the same as they. They, they praise each other, they say that they are good in their own sight. How stupid they are!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “We (excl.) don’t dare compare ourselves to those people who make themselves great. They think-mistakenly that they are the ones who know what is the best. They are really stupid/dull. Because those people make their own customs the-ones-to-be-copied. Therefore even whatever they do, good or bad, according to them it is only good.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We really are cowards to imitate the activity of some of the people there who are puffed-up with pride. They suppose mistakenly that they are the ones who can decide what good works are. They are very stupid! For when people imitate their behavior, they say that it’s very good. However, when people don’t imitate them, they say that those people who do not imitate them are mistaken.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “We (excl.) admittedly don’t want to compare ourselves with those aforementioned-people who boast-about themselves. It’s as if their minds are lacking! Because their measure of their goodness, it is their very own behavior.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “It’s not possible/acceptable that we (excl.) include ourselves or make ourselves(excl.) like those who are elevating themselves, for is it not so that, as for them, they are without equal? But that is not true. In their stupidity, they are all making-themselves-the-same-as-each-other with just their own understanding/perception.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “But concerning the word I speak, I am not able to say that I will do like those other people do, who speak, elevating themselves. They think that they are greater wise-people than other people. But these are people who are stupid. These only hunt for how to be better than their fellow teachers.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Warlpiri: “Are you people forcing me so that I live like those ones who reckoning they are important boast about themselves? They are ignorant, not knowing! They just follow their word, and they make up and establish their own law so that they all can call themselves good.” (Source: Carl Gross)