prostitute

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The Greek, Latin, and Hebrew that is typically translated as “prostitute” in English (in some, mostly earlier translation also as “harlot” or “whore”) is translated in the 2024 revision of the inter-confessional Latvian Jauna Pārstrādāta latviešu Bībele as netikle or “hussy.” This replaced the previous translation mauka or “whore.” Nikita Andrejevs, editor of the Bible explains the previous and current translations: “The translators at the time felt that this strong word best described the thought contained in the main text. Many had objections, as it seemed that this word would not be the most appropriate for public reading in church.” (Source: Updated Bible published in Latvia ).

Other translations include:

  • Bariai: “a woman of the road” (source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “a woman who sells her body” (source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Uma: “a woman whose behavior is not appropriate” or “a loose woman” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “a bad woman” (source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “a woman who make money through their reputation” (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “a woman who makes money with her body” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “a woman whose womanhood is repeatedly-bought” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

See also Translation commentary on Genesis 34:31, Rahab, and prostitute oneself / play the prostitute.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Prostitution in the Bible .

complete verse (Ezekiel 16:31)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 16:31:

  • Kupsabiny: “You built houses for worshipping those idols on every street in the city. But you were not looking for money like a prostitute.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You also built-up places-of-worship for the gods at the corners of the roads and in the plazas. You are worse than the women who sell their honor because you do not ask-for-payment in lying-down-beside/(having-sexual-relations-with) you.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When you built shrines to worship idols on every street corner and in every city square/plaza, you were not like a prostitute: Prostitutes charge money, but you refused to take money for what you did.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 16:31

Building your vaulted chamber at the head of every street, and making your lofty place in every square: In this first part of the verse God continues to describe the girl’s actions as a prostitute. He repeats the details in verses 24-25 (see the comments there.

Yet you were not like a harlot, because you scorned hire: The emphasis changes here because she was not acting like a normal prostitute. Normally men pay money to a prostitute to have sex with her, but this girl scorned hire, that is, she “refused to accept payment” (New Century Version). This is the beginning of God’s argument that she was worse than any other prostitute.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .