The Greek, Hebrew and Ge’ez that is typically translated as “eternity,” “forever,” or “forever and ever” in English are translated in Mairasi as “mashed out infinitely.” Lloyd Peckham explains: “Bark cloth required pounding. It got longer and wider as it got pounded. Similarly, life gets pounded or mashed to lengthen it into infinity. Tubers also get mashed into the standard way of serving the staple food, like the fufu of Uganda, or like poi of Hawaii. It spreads out into infinity.” (Source: Lloyd Peckham)
In Lisu the phrase “forever and ever” is translated as ꓕꓲꓽ ꓞꓲꓼ ꓕꓲ ꓑ — thi tsi thi pa, verbatim translated as “one – lifetime – one – world.” This construction follows a traditional four-couplet construct in oral Lisu poetry that is usually in the form ABAC or ABCB. (Source: Arrington 2020, p. 57f.)
In Makonde it is often translated as navyaka or “years and years.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 4:17:
Uma: “The difficulties that we (incl.) get at this time, they are just light-weight and for-a-while. And because of our enduring in these difficulties, we will get big life [i.e., glory] that lasts forever. The difficulties that we get at this time, are just a tiny bit if we compare them with the big life that we will get in the future.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Our (excl.) troubles are like nothing (to us) and they are only passing, when we (excl.) think that the outcome is we (excl.) will be given abundant good/blessing that lasts forever.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for these very difficult things that we have to endure now, they will quickly be finished. But because of our enduring these things, there is that which we expect which is very great highness which will be given to us in the future. And the difficulties that we have to endure don’t amount to even a little fingernail, compared to this very big never ending highness.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because the hardship that we experience doesn’t last-long and it’s as if it has no weight if it is compared to what we will gain in a future day. Because the result of this hardship is the very-good life in heaven that has no end and no equal.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Because, the big-size of these hardships that we (excl.) are experiencing right now, it will not last and we could say that it is just small if we think of its reward in the future, which is much-the-farthest-from-ordinary glory/praiseworthiness which really will never be removed.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Even though I suffer during the days I live here on the earth, yet very little do I consider it, because the suffering will pass away. Because the results of what I suffer will be the very great good I will meet forever.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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.
Illustration by Horst Lemke (1922-1985) for the GermanGute Nachricht für Sie – NT68, one of the first editions of the Good News Bible in German of 1968. Lemke was a well-known illustrator who illustrated books by Erich Kästner , Astrid Lindgren and many others.
The word For at the beginning of verse 17 provides the basis for not losing heart (verse 16). Verse 18 is a parenthetic explanation, and 5.1 also is connected to verse 16 by the same transition word, For.
This slight momentary affliction: Paul sees his sufferings here on earth as temporary in comparison with eternity. Though the Greek noun is singular, that is, affliction, the sense is all of his sufferings as a whole. Revised English Bible says “Our troubles are slight and short-lived.” Other languages may need to use a plural noun to avoid the impression that Paul is talking about one specific incident in which he suffered. Two words are used to emphasize the relative unimportance of the sufferings experienced in this life. The first is an adjective which indicates that they do not last long or are “transitory” (Phillips). And the second is formally a noun but serves to underline their pettiness or insignificance. It gives the idea of “lightness” or lack of “weight.” Some languages may require that a separate sentence be made of this part of the verse: “The troubles we experience are small and they do not last long.”
An eternal weight of glory: the affliction is slight or “light” in contrast with the glory, which is “heavy” or “weighty.” The words weight and glory are closely related in Hebrew, since they are spelled with the same consonants. Paul’s choice of the Greek words weight of glory probably reflects the underlying play on words in Hebrew. In many languages the words weight of glory will have no clear meaning. Good News Translation‘s “a tremendous glory” attempts to capture the sense. Christians are being prepared for glory, which has two characteristics opposed to those mentioned for affliction: it is “eternal” (as contrasted with the “transitory”) and “weighty.” In some languages one may render the last term as “abundance” (Anchor Bible), or in a verbal expression such as “loading us [with everlasting glory]” (Knox).
Beyond all comparison: the comparison is with the short-lived and light-weight suffering of this world. This may have to be made more explicit in the receptor language. That is, one may have to say something like “cannot be compared with the suffering” or “is nothing like the suffering.”
The meaning of this verse may be expressed as follows: “These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing” (Contemporary English Version) or “we have our troubles, but they are transitory and unimportant, and all the time they are producing for us a superlative and eternal glory, which will far outweigh all the troubles” (Barclay).
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
4:17a For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us
For our (excl.) slight and temporary hardships/troubles are obtaining for us
-or-
Our ⌊great⌋ troubles ⌊seem only⌋ little and short-lived, ⌊because they⌋ result in
4:17b an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison.
an eternal glory that is very much greater than those troubles,
-or-
a splendor/majesty for us that lasts forever. That splendor/majesty is so great that it is beyond comparison ⌊to those troubles⌋.
4:17a–b (reordered)
For our troubles gain/obtain for us an eternal glory that is very much greater than them, and so those troubles ⌊in comparison⌋ seem only light/small and last only a short time.
-or-
Our troubles cause us to have a splendor/majesty that will remain forever. That splendor/majesty is very much greater than the pain of all those troubles. Therefore, those troubles can be thought of as being only little and short-lived.
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®).
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