you shall not commit adultery

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated in English as “you shall not commit adultery” is translated in Toraja-Sa’dan with an established figure of speech: Da’ mupasandak salu lako rampanan kapa’ or “you shall not fathom the river of marriage” (i.e “approach the marriage relationship of another.”) (Source: H. van der Veen in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 21 ff. ).

It is translated as “practice illicit relationship with women” in Tzeltal, as “go in with other people’s wives” in Isthmus Zapotec, as “live with some one who isn’t your wife” in Huehuetla Tepehua, and as “sleep with a strange partner” in Central Tarahumara. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

See also adultery

adultery

The Greek that is translated as “adultery” (typically understood as “marital infidelity”) in English is (back-) translated in the following ways:

  • Highland Totonac: “to do something together”
  • Yucateco: “pair-sin”
  • Ngäbere: “robbing another’s half self-possession” (compare “fornication” which is “robbing self-possession,” that is, to rob what belongs to a person)
  • Kaqchikel, Chol: “to act like a dog”
  • Toraja-Sa’dan: “to measure the depth of the river of (another’s) marriage.”
  • North Alaskan Inupiatun: “married people using what is not theirs” (compare “fornication” which is “unmarried people using what is not theirs”) (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • In Purari: “play hands with” or “play eyes with”
  • In Hakha Chin the usual term for “adultery” applies only to women, so the translation for the Greek term that is translated into English as “adultery” was translated in Hakha Chin as “do not take another man’s wife and do not commit adultery.”
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “talk secretly with spouses of our fellows”
  • Isthmus Zapotec: “go in with other people’s spouses”
  • Hopi: “tamper with marriage” (source for this and two above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • In Falam Chin the term for “adultery” is the phrase for “to share breast” which relates to adultery by either sex. (Source for this and three above: David Clark)
  • In Ixcatlán Mazatec a specification needs to be made to include both genders. (Source: Robert Bascom)

See also adulterer, adulteress, and you shall not commit adultery.

You shall not murder / kill

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “You shall not kill/murder” or similar in English is translated in Una as Ninyi ona mem: “Don’t kill people” because in Una an object needed to be added. (Source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)

addressing one’s mother humbly / neutrally in Japanese

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 important aspect of addressing someone else in one’s or someone else’s family is by selecting the correct word when referring to them. One way to do this is through the usage of an appropriate title within a conversation as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

When the speaker humbly refers to his or her mother in the presence of respected interlocutor(s), haha (母) is often used as in the case of Abraham referring to his mother before Abimelech (Genesis 20:12). This form is very appropriately chosen as Abraham is speaking to Abimelech the king of Gerar. While haha can carry this humbling effect in reference to the speaker’s mother, in some types of dialogues/utterances such as in poetry (Song 3:4) and proverbial teachings (e.g. “honor your father and mother” in Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16 et al.), haha is used without the humbling effect.

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

complete verse (Luke 18:20)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 18:20:

  • Noongar: “You know your Law. Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not lie about other people, obey [lit.: hear-do] your mother and father.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “You already know the rules that are written in the Law of the Lord: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not give false witness, and we must honor our mothers and fathers.’ ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You know the commandments of God: Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not give testimony which is not true. Honor your mother and father.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You know the commands of God which were left behind for us, which are: don’t be unfaithful to your wife, don’t murder, do not steal, don’t you tell lies in the courtroom, respect your father and mother.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You (sing.) know the law of God which says, ‘Don’t (sing.) commit-adultery, don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t testify telling-lies, and honor your (sing.) father and your (sing.) mother.’ ‘” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Probably you know the laws. Don’t behave immorally with one not your spouse. Don’t kill your fellowman. Don’t steal. Don’t give evidence which isn’t true. Honor/respect your father and your mother.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 18:20

Exegesis:

Except for the place of the first two commandments which occur in Mark in the inverse order, and for the omission of mē aposterēsēs by Luke, v. 20 is identical to Mk. 10.19.

Translation:

To bear false witness, or, ‘to give false testimony,’ i.e. to state, as though one has seen or heard them personally, things that are not true; or, less specifically, ‘to tell lies.’

For the sequence of father and mother see above on 2.33.

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.