sin

The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated as “sin” in English has a wide variety of translations.

The Greek ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō) carries the original verbatim meaning of “miss the mark.” Likewise, many translations contain the “connotation of moral responsibility.” Loma has (for certain types of sin) “leaving the road” (which “implies a definite standard, the transgression of which is sin”) or Navajo uses “that which is off to the side.” (Source: Bratcher / Nida). In Toraja-Sa’dan the translation is kasalan, which originally meant “transgression of a religious or moral rule” and has shifted its meaning in the context of the Bible to “transgression of God’s commandments.” (Source: H. van der Veen in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 21ff. ).

In Shipibo-Conibo the term is hocha. Nida (1952, p. 149) tells the story of its choosing: “In some instances a native expression for sin includes many connotations, and its full meaning must be completely understood before one ever attempts to use it. This was true, for example, of the term hocha first proposed by Shipibo-Conibo natives as an equivalent for ‘sin.’ The term seemed quite all right until one day the translator heard a girl say after having broken a little pottery jar that she was guilty of ‘hocha.’ Breaking such a little jar scarcely seemed to be sin. However, the Shipibos insisted that hocha was really sin, and they explained more fully the meaning of the word. It could be used of breaking a jar, but only if the jar belonged to someone else. Hocha was nothing more nor less than destroying the possessions of another, but the meaning did not stop with purely material possessions. In their belief God owns the world and all that is in it. Anyone who destroys the work and plan of God is guilty of hocha. Hence the murderer is of all men most guilty of hocha, for he has destroyed God’s most important possession in the world, namely, man. Any destructive and malevolent spirit is hocha, for it is antagonistic and harmful to God’s creation. Rather than being a feeble word for some accidental event, this word for sin turned out to be exceedingly rich in meaning and laid a foundation for the full presentation of the redemptive act of God.”

In Kaingang, the translation is “break God’s word” and in Sandawe the original meaning of the Greek term (see above) is perfectly reflected with “miss the mark.” (Source: Ursula Wiesemann in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 36ff., 43)

In Warao it is translated as “bad obojona.” Obojona is a term that “includes the concepts of consciousness, will, attitude, attention and a few other miscellaneous notions.” (Source: Henry Osborn in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 74ff. ). See other occurrences of Obojona in the Warao New Testament.

Martin Ehrensvärd, one of the translators for the Danish Bibelen 2020, comments on the translation of this term: “We would explain terms, such that e.g. sin often became ‘doing what God does not want’ or ‘breaking God’s law’, ‘letting God down’, ‘disrespecting God’, ‘doing evil’, ‘acting stupidly’, ‘becoming guilty’. Now why couldn’t we just use the word sin? Well, sin in contemporary Danish, outside of the church, is mostly used about things such as delicious but unhealthy foods. Exquisite cakes and chocolates are what a sin is today.” (Source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )

See also sinner.

Translation commentary on Isaiah 3:9

The prophet reveals more here about the offensive actions committed by the citizens of Jerusalem and Judah. Revised Standard Version places a blank line before this verse, but this should not be not done since this verse continues the thought of verse 8.

Their partiality witnesses against them: This is an idiom, the sense of which is not obvious. It only occurs here in the Bible. The Hebrew says literally “The appearance of their faces answers against them.” This could refer to the evil expression on their faces, implying a defiant attitude against God (so New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New International Version). Revised English Bible has “The look on their faces testifies against them.” Instead of “The look on their faces,” Revised Standard Version says Their partiality, which is the interpretation also accepted by Bible en français courant, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh (“Their partiality in judgment”), and Good News Translation (“Their prejudices”). Translators may choose either interpretation. If partiality is chosen, it should be clear that it refers to a basic perversion of justice; when judgments are made, one person is favored over another. Many languages may have a special idiom for this, but if no precise expression is available, a longer rendering may be used; for example, Their partiality may be rendered “The way they judge unjustly” or “Their crooked judgments.”

The sense of the verb phrase witnesses against them is “shows what they really are like.” Good News Translation has “will be held against them,” which may be a simpler way of rendering these words. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Bible en français courant say “accuses them.”

They proclaim their sin like Sodom: This does not mean that their sins were the same as those of the people of Sodom, but that they made no secret of their sinful way of life like the people of Sodom. Although the Hebrew word for sin is singular, it does not refer to a single sinful act but rather to a lifestyle that was sinful. Proclaim their sin could be rendered “speak openly about their sins,” but in this context it probably is used figuratively to mean “show they are sinful by how they live.” Their lifestyle rather than just their words indicates clearly their sinful ways. This line may be rendered “They openly show/disclose/reveal/expose their sins, as [the people of] Sodom did.” For Sodom see 1.9.

They do not hide it: Their sinful ways are clear for everyone to see. They did not care if other people saw or heard about the bad things they were doing.

Woe to them expresses dismay (compare “Ah” in 1.4, 24). The Hebrew word for Woe here and in verse 11 is not the same as that found in 5.8, 11, 18. However, it clearly serves the same function and expresses a profound sadness, perhaps even a message of judgment. Woe to them is rather old and dated expression in English. Good News Translation has “They are doomed,” while New Jerusalem Bible says “all the worse for them.” Another suitable equivalent in English is “Too bad for them!”

For they have brought evil upon themselves: The connector For introduces the reason they are under judgment. Their own actions are the reason for the trouble that is about to come. The Hebrew says literally “For they reward themselves [with] evil,” which is an ironic truth. It is also possible that the Hebrew word translated For is used here to draw attention to the words that follow, in which case it may be rendered “Indeed” or “Surely.” The word evil here has a general meaning of “disaster” or “trouble,” pointing in the present context to “punishment.” The specific punishment is the loss of leadership spoken of in verses 1-7. For this line Bible en français courant has “they prepare their own misfortune,” and Revised English Bible says “They have earned the disaster that strikes them.”

Alternative models for this verse are:

• The look on their faces tells what they are really like.
Their sinfulness is obvious, like that of Sodom;
they do not try to hide it.
Woe to them! They have brought disaster on themselves.

• Their partiality in giving judgments speaks against them;
like the people of Sodom their sinfulness is plain;
they make no attempt to hide it.
Too bad for them because this disaster is something they brought on themselves.

• The look on their faces is testimony against them.
Like Sodom, their sin is open,
they cannot hide it.
Punishment will be theirs,
for they are the cause of their own suffering.

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 .