complete verse (Deuteronomy 28:34)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 28:34:

  • Kupsabiny: “and you will become mad over the things that you shall see with your own eyes.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Because of all the things you have to see you will go mad.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “And when you (plur.) see all of this, you (plur.) will-become-crazy.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The result will be that all these terrible things that you see/experience will cause you to become insane.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 28:34

So that you shall be driven mad by the sight which your eyes shall see: the cruel actions of their enemies will make them go crazy. New Jerusalem Bible has “you will be driven mad by the sights you see,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “when you see these things you will go crazy”; or we may say “when you [plural] see all these terrible things, you will go insane [or, lose your minds].”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .