neighbor - relative

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “neighbor” or “relative” in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) and the Buku Lopatulika translation (1922/2018) with just one word: nansi. This word can also be translated as neighbors whom you share a blood relation with because in Chewa context a community is mostly comprised of people of blood relations. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also neighbor.

complete verse (Isaiah 3:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 3:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “People will persecute one another,
    everyone will oppress his neighbor.
    Young men will look down upon elders,
    misfits will hate their masters.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “One person will oppress another,
    one person will rise up against another, neighbors will rise up against other neighbors,
    the young against the old,
    the despicable against the honorable.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Each man will-oppress his fellow-man. Children will-resist/go-against with the old-ones and the lowly-ones against the honorable-ones.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 3:5

And the people will oppress one another: This verse expresses the consequences when young people rule. Society begins to fall apart, because leaders with experience and respect are lacking. People will take advantage of one another, which is the meaning of the verb oppress. Other ways to render this verb are “cause hardship” and “make suffer.” The same verb is implied in the next two lines, which spell out the meaning of one another.

Every man his fellow and every man his neighbor is literally “man against man, and man against his neighbor.” The Hebrew noun for man is the usual one for a male person, but here its sense is generic, referring to all people in society. “Everyone” (Good News Translation) is a simple equivalent for it here. The Hebrew word rendered neighbor can be an idiom for “one another,” but it can also mean “friend/neighbor,” as it does here. The people will not only cause hardship to individuals that they do not know personally, they will cause hardship to their neighbors and friends as well. The first three lines may be rendered “Everyone will cause hardship to every other person, even to those who are their neighbors.”

The youth will be insolent to the elder: Young members of society will not only refuse to respect their elders, but they will also be insolent to them, that is, insult them openly. New Jerusalem Bible has “the young will insult the aged.” Good News Translation says “Young people will not respect their elders,” but the meaning of the Hebrew verb here implies “insult” instead of “disrespect.”

And the base fellow to the honorable: The verb be insolent serves this line as well. The focus here changes from a difference in age to a difference in social standing. Base fellow renders a Hebrew root meaning “to burn” or “to be dry.” Scholars believe this rare term has a slightly different meaning in this context, probably in contrast to honorable. The contrast is between “a person who is not worthy of honor” and “a person who should be respected.” For the base fellow, Revised English Bible has “mere nobodies,” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “the despised,” New Jerusalem Bible suggests “the low,” and Good News Translation uses “worthless people.”

Some translation examples for this verse are:

• People will oppress one another, even their neighbors,
the young will insult their elders,
the dishonorable will insult those who are respected.

• Everyone will oppress others, even their neighbors,
young people will show contempt for their elders
and those unworthy of honor for those who are honored.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .