complete verse (Luke 21:30)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 21:30:

  • Noongar: “When you see its leaves beginning growing, you know summer is coming.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “When you see its leaves bud, you know that it will not be much longer before the dry time [which is also hot].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When you see the leaves sprouting you know that it is soon the warm season.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because here in our (incl.) place, when its limbs begin to put out leaves and tender shoots, we know that the dry season is soon to happen.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When their leaves are replaced, you expect that it is almost rainy-season.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When they now sprout leaves, of course you know that hot season is close now.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

Here, Jesus is addressing his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

Translation commentary on Luke 21:30

Exegesis:

hotan probalōsin ēdē ‘when they already put out leaves,’ i.e. ‘when they have begun to put out leaves.’

proballō ‘to put out (leaves),’ ‘to bud.’

blepontes ‘when you see (it).’

aph’ heautōn ginōskete lit. ‘you know from yourselves,’ i.e. ‘without being told.’ It is also possible though rather improbable to take aph’ heautōn with blepontes.

hoti ēdē eggus to theros estin ‘that already summer is near.’ eggus is used in a temporal sense like eggizō in vv. 8, 20, 28. theros.

Translation:

They come out in leaf, or, ‘their leaves begin to appear’ (cf. Good News Translation). One often can use a specific verb, related to the word for ‘bud,’ ‘sprout,’ ‘young leaf’; cf. “it buds” (New English Bible).

You see is often better taken with the preceding clause, ‘as soon as (or, when) you see that they come out in leaves.’

For yourselves, when taken with “know” (see Exegesis), ‘by yourselves,’ “without anybody telling you” (Phillips).

Know, i.e. ‘are aware,’ ‘realize,’ ‘are sure.’

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 21:30

21:30a–b

When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near: In the Greek text it is not clear if for yourselves goes with see or with know. However, with either choice the statement has the same meaning. It indicates that when fig trees sprout leaves, people know that summer is near. No one has to tell them, because they see the new leaves for themselves. Other ways to translate the statement are:

When you see their leaves beginning to appear, you know that summer is near. (Good News Translation)
-or-
As soon as leaves grow on them, you know without being told that summer is near. (God’s Word)
-or-
As soon as it buds, you can see for yourselves that summer is near. (Revised English Bible)

When they sprout leaves: This clause means “when the leaves of the fig trees begin to grow/bud.” If you used a singular form of “fig tree” in 21:29b, you will probably need to use the singular form here also. For example:

When it sprouts leaves

you can see for yourselves and know that: The word you refers here to anyone and everyone. Everyone in Israel knew what new leaves on the trees meant. When people saw those new leaves, they understood that the summer season would soon arrive. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

we know that…
-or-
everyone sees it and knows that…

summer is near: The new leaves show that warm weather will come soon.

It is important that you translate this verse in a way that fits your culture. For example, in tropical areas the weather is warm or hot in every season. There is no winter, and new leaves may be replacing old ones all year. If this is true in your area, it may be more helpful to refer to something else that sprouting leaves show. For example, the leaves may show that the tree will soon bear fruit, or that the rainy season or growing season will soon begin.

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