complete verse (Luke 14:32)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 14:32:

  • Noongar: “If he doesn’t have enough strength, when the other king is far away, he will send messengers to meet the other king and ask him if he will talk of peace.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “If he knows that his soldiers cannot do it, while his enemy is still far, he sends a messenger searching/asking-for one-life/harmony/peace.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If he estimates that he cannot win, he will send his people when his opponent is still far away to meet him and to take word that he wants a reconciliation.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if he decides that his soldiers cannot defeat the enemy, it’s better if he sends his servants there to his enemy while his enemy’s soldiers are still far away, so that they might settle it before their soldiers begin to fight.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If he estimates that he can-not -win, he will send-some to go meet that enemy of his while they are still far away so that they will go and inquire what they want in order to settle-the-dispute.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well of course, if he isn’t able to, instead of going to attack, those he will send there will be ones to request a peace-treaty be made.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 14:32

Exegesis:

ei de mēge scil. dunatos estin ‘and if (he is) not (able),’ ‘if he cannot.’

eti autou porrō ontos ‘while he is still far away.’ autou refers to the other king. porrō also 24.28.

presbeian aposteilas erōta ta pros eirēnēn ‘he sends an embassy and asks for terms of peace.’ For apostellō cf. on 1.19. ta pros eirēnēn lit. ‘that which belongs to/has to do with peace,’ hence ‘terms of peace.’

presbeia (also 19.14) ‘embassy,’ here abstract for concrete, ‘ambassadors,’ ‘envoys.’

Translation:

While the other is yet a great way off, or, “long before the enemy approaches” (New English Bible), may better be transposed after the first or the second verbal phrase of the main clause, with ensuing adjustments.

Sends an embassy (or, envoys/messengers) and asks, or, ‘orders some representatives (or, some spokesmen, cf. Kele; or, ask some of his servants/officers/counsellors) to go (to the other king) to ask.’

To ask terms of peace, or, ‘to beg agreement about peace’ (Yao), ‘to ask about the becoming-good-with-each-other again’ (Tae’); or, more descriptively, ‘to ask on what conditions he (i.e. the other king) will make peace’ (cf. An American Translation), ‘to ask, “What must we (exclus.) do in order that there may be peace, or, that the war may come to an end?” .’ Some idiomatic phrases used are, ‘to ask to be friends with each other’ (Thai 1967), ‘to ask-ask-as-a-favour time good’ (Pohnpeian), ‘to make his heart willing-to-be-reconciled in order that thus will be calmed down the trouble started by them’ (Tzeltal, combining two such phrases). For peace cf. also 1.79.

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 14:32

14:32a

And if he is unable: In this context the phrase if he is unable means “if the first king decides that he cannot defend himself.” Other ways to translate this are:

If he thinks he won’t be able to defend himself (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
if he realizes that he will not win the battle

14:32b

he will send a delegation: In this context the word delegation refers to a small group of people who represent the king who wants peace. Other ways to translate this clause are:

he will send messengers to meet the other king (Good News Translation)
-or-
he’ll send ambassadors (God’s Word)

while the other king is still far off: The phrase the other king refers to the second king, the one with the larger army. This king is advancing toward the first king and his army but is still some distance away. Another way to translate this is:

long before the enemy approaches (Revised English Bible)

14:32c

to ask for terms of peace: The phrase ask for terms of peace means “ask the king under what conditions he will make peace.” The delegation goes to the enemy king and asks what he wants in order to stop fighting against their king. In some languages, it is better to put this in a direct quote. For example:

they will ask the other king, “What must we(excl) do in order that there may be peace?”

peace: In this context, the word peace means the absence of war or conflict.

See peace, Meaning 2, in the Glossary.

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