lose heart

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “lose heart” or similar in English is translated in Elhomwe idiomatically as “grow tired” and in Makonde as “lose strength in one’s heart.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Colossians 3:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of Colossians 3:21:

  • Uma: “And you fathers, don’t hurt the hearts of your children [an idiom meaning make angry or make sad], lest they give us hope [lit., so that their hearts are not lessened].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You parents, don’t overly cause your children to be angry so that they will (not) become discouraged (lit. their livers will not become weak.)” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for you parents also, it’s necessary that your scolding your children is not too much, because their desire to do what is right might be removed from them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As for you who are their fathers, don’t be-excessive in scolding your children so they don’t get discouraged/disillusioned.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “You parents also, especially the men, do-well your supervision of your children, for if not, maybe they will get discouraged (lit.their mind/inner-being will fall).” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen you parents, when you call your children, search for how they will not become angry, in order that they will not be downhearted.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Colossians 3:21

Parents is how Good News Translation translates hoi pateres (also Jerusalem Bible Bible de Jérusalem Traduction œcuménique de la Bible); all others have “fathers.” The plural of the word for “father” may be used in the sense of “parents” (see Heb 11.23); but the more common word for “parents” is used in verse 20, and it probably is true that in this verse it is the fathers who are being addressed, not both the fathers and the mothers.

In place of the vocative expression parents, it may be appropriate in some languages to use a qualifying clause, for example, “you who have children.”

Irritate translates erethizō “to provoke, nag, embitter, make resentful.” The situation envisaged seems to be that of the father constantly correcting and reprimanding the child for every little wrong or imagined wrong. It may be important to make more explicit the significance of irritate, for example, “to make your children bitter by always complaining about what they do” or “do not make your children angry by always criticizing them for everything they do.”

Discouraged translates a Greek word found only here in the NT; in this context, it means that the child feels that he can never do anything right and so gives up trying.

Discouraged may often be expressed idiomatically as “they will no longer have a heart,” “they will close their minds to everything,” or “they will hide inside of themselves.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Colossians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Colossians 3:21

3:21a

Fathers: The Greek word Paul used here usually refers specifically to fathers. Rarely it can be used to include both parents (see Hebrews 11:23). The Good News Translation translates it “parents” (see also New Jerusalem Bible and SSA), but most English versions say “fathers.” Since Paul used the more usual word for “parents” in 3:20, it is more likely that he was addressing fathers alone here as the ones who have final authority in the home.

do not provoke your children: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates provoke means “to rouse to anger, provoke, irritate.” In the context, this means “do not irritate your children ⌊by constantly correcting/scolding them for everything they do⌋.”

3:21b

discouraged: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates discouraged means to become sad (or angry, or frustrated), and therefore to stop trying to do what pleases God. Here is another way to translate this word:

they might give up (Contemporary English Version)

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