truth

Nida (1947, p. 230) says this about the translation of the concept of “truth”: “The words for ‘truth’ and ‘true’ are not always the most readily discovered in aboriginal languages. In some instances the only expression which corresponds to ‘true’ is something like ‘it happened.’ A falsehood is something that ‘did not happen.’ In a good many languages the meaning of ‘truth’ is expressed by the words signifying ‘straight’ and ‘direct.’ Untruth is accordingly ‘crookedness.’ An abstract noun such as English “truth” is quite difficult to find in some instances. Only an expression such as ‘true statement’ or ‘true word’ will be found to correspond to English ‘truth.’”

The Greek, Latin, Ge’ez, and Hebrew that is usually translated in English as “truth” is translated in Luchazi with vusunga: “the quality of being straight” (source: E. Pearson in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 160ff. ), in Obolo as atikọ or “good/correct talk” (source: Enene Enene), and in Ekari as maakodo bokouto or “enormous truth” (esp. in John 14:6 and 17; bokouto — “enormous” — is being used as an attribute for abstract nouns to denote that they are of God [see also here]; source: Marion Doble in The Bible Translator 1963, p. 37ff. ).

Helen Evans (in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) tells of the translation into Kui which usually is “true-thing.” In some instances however, such as in the second part of John 17:17 (“your word is truth” in English), the use of “true-thing” indicated that there might be other occasions when it’s not true, so here the translation was a a form of “pure, holy.”

The translation committee of the Malay “Good News Bible” (Alkitab Berita Baik, see here ) wrestled with the translation of “truth” in the Gospel of John:

“Our Malay Committee also concluded that ‘truth’ as used in the Gospel of John was used either of God himself, or of God’s revelation of himself, or in an extended sense as a reference to those who had responded to God’s self-disclosure. In John 8:32 the New Malay translation reads ‘You will know the truth about God, and the truth about God will make you free.’ In John 8:44 this meaning is brought out by translating, ‘He has never been on the side of God, because there is no truth in him.’ Accordingly Jesus ‘tells the truth about God’ in 8:45, 46 (see also 16:7 and 8:37a). Then, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life’ (John 14:6) becomes ‘I am the one who leads men to God, the one who reveals who and what God is, and the one who gives men life.” At 3:21 the translation reads ” … whoever obeys the truth, that is God himself, comes to the light …’; 16:13a appears as ‘he will lead you into the full truth about God’; and in 18:37 Jesus affirms ‘I came into the world to reveal the truth about God, and whoever obeys God listens to me.’ On this basis also 1:14 was translated ‘we saw his glory, the glory which he had as the Father’s only Son. Through him God has completely revealed himself (truth) and his love for us (grace)’; and 1:17 appears as ‘God gave the law through Moses; but through Jesus Christ he has completely revealed himself (truth) and his love for us (grace).'” (Source: Barclay Newman in The Bible Translator 1974, p. 432ff. )

The German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) has followed a somewhat similar path to the Malay committee 50 years earlier in the gospel of John. In John 1 it translates “truth as “God’s nature,” in John 3 as “God’s will,” in John 8 as “God’s reality,” in John 14 as “encountering God,” and in John 16 as “God’s truth.”

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 7:33 - 7:34

And the Most High shall be revealed upon the seat of judgment: For the Most High, see the comments on 2 Esd 3.3. Since Contemporary English Version views God as speaking in this subsection, it says “I, God Most High,” which other languages may find helpful. Shall be revealed may be rendered “will appear” (Good News Bible). The seat of judgment is the throne on which God sits to pass judgment on the world (compare Dan 7.9; Rev 20.11). This clause may be translated “Then God Most High will reveal himself [or, appear] on his judgment seat.” Contemporary English Version is similar with “Then I, God Most High, will start judging all people.”

And compassion shall pass away, and patience shall be withdrawn: These two clauses have almost the same meaning, and may be combined; for example, Good News Bible says “Mercy and patience will vanish completely,” and Contemporary English Version has “I will no longer be kind and gentle to sinners.” As the Revised Standard Version footnote indicates, the Latin expression for shall be withdrawn is literally “will gather together,” but it probably means “will shrink to the vanishing point,” that is, “will disappear.” The idea here is that when God begins his judgment, there will be no place for anyone to plead a case for anyone else; everything will be decided according to strict justice. Good News Bible joins the final sentence of verse 33 with the first one in the next verse, and we recommend this.

But only judgment shall remain may be translated “and justice shall replace them.”

Truth shall stand, and faithfulness shall grow strong: The Latin word for faithfulness has the sense of truth in this context (compare the comments on 2 Esd 6.28). God will judge according to the truth. Good News Bible combines these two parallel clauses, saying “Truth and faithfulness will once again stand firm.” Contemporary English Version says simply “I will judge with truth.”

Translators who can use the passive voice should study Good News Bible‘s model for verses 33-34. But for those who must use the active voice, we suggest the following model:

• 33 Then God Most High will appear on his judgment seat. He will no longer have mercy or patience toward sinners, 34 but will judge [or, punish] them. Truth and justice will once again stand firm.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.