home

The Greek that is translated as “home” in English is translated in Noongar as karlap or “place of fire.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also at home and village.

complete verse (Luke 1:56)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 1:56:

  • Noongar: “Mary stayed three months with Elizabeth, and afterwards, she went back to her village.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Maria stayed with Elisabet about three months, and only then did she return to her home.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Mariyam stayed there with Elisabet for three months, then she went back home.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Mary stayed there with Elizabeth for three months longer, and then she went home.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “She stayed-with plural Elizabet for three months, then went-home.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Three months is how long Maria stayed with the Elisabet and spouse, and then she went home.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Mary (mother of Jesus)

The name that is transliterated as “Mary” in English means “bitterness,” “rebellious,” obstinate.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

It is translated in Spanish Sign Language with arms folded over chest which is the typical pose of Mary in statues and artwork. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Mary” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In American Sign Language it is translated with a sign for the letter M and the sign for “virgin,” which could also be interpreted as “head covering,” referring to the way that Mary is usually portrayed in art works. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Mary” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Hungarian Sign Language the sign is based on historical images, referring to the veil covering her head: the earliest depictions of Mary (dating back to the 2nd century) already portray her wearing a headscarf or a veil. Its sign in sign language refers to the veil because, within Christian culture, this is her most recognizable visual attribute, distinguishing her from other biblical figures. (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)


“Mary” in Hungarian Sign Language (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

In the Burmese Common Language Version (publ. 2005), Mary is described as a king’s mother by using the royal noun suffix taw / တော် with the word “mother” in Matthew 1:16 and Luke 2:33. This is done to highlight the status of Jesus as a king or the divine Son. Othjer passages where taht is used include Matthew 2:11, 13, 14, 20, and 21. (Source: Gam Seng Shae in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 202ff. ) See also Jesus’ human vs. divine nature in modern Burmese translation.

In some Semitic languages, the transliteration for “Mary” is identical to the one for the prophetess “Miriam,” testifying to the fact that these names are identical (Arabic and the many translations that are reliant on Arabic: مَرْيَم, Hebrew: מִרְיָם, Ge’ez / Amharic and related languages: ማርያም).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Mary in Latin America and the Caribbean and Mary, the Mother of Jesus .

Japanese benefactives (yorokonde)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, yorokonde (喜んで) or “rejoice” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Luke 1:56

Exegesis:

emeinen de Mariam sun autē ‘and Mary stayed with her.’

menō ‘to stay,’ ‘to remain,’ here in the meaning of ‘to stay for a visit.’

de marks the transition from the hymn to the resumption of the narrative which began in v. 39.

hōs mēnas treis ‘about three months’; accusative of temporal extension or duration and indicating the length of Mary’s visit.

hōs here ‘approximately’; the phrase implies that Mary stayed with Elizabeth till about the birth of John the Baptist, but Luke does not state explicitly that she was still present when the birth took place.

kai hupestrepsen eis ton oikon autēs ‘and she returned to her (own) home.’

hupostrephō ‘to turn back,’ ‘to return.’

Translation:

With her, i.e. ‘with Elizabeth’ (Bible de Jérusalem), or, ‘at Elizabeth’s’ (Balinese), ‘in Elizabeth’s house’ (Javanese), or simply, ‘there’ (Tae,’ Batak Toba).

For about cf. on 9.14.

And, or, ‘then,’ ‘next,’ ‘after that.’

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 1:56

1:56a–b

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home: This statement tells the length of Mary’s whole visit to Elizabeth. After her visit, Mary returned to her home in Nazareth.

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