the blind lead the blind

The now commonly-used English idiom “the blind lead the blind” (as in when an inexperienced person is guiding someone a person who is equally inexperienced) was first coined in 1526 in the English New Testament translation of William Tyndale (in the spelling the blynde leede the blynde). (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 285)

In Russian, this phrase (Если слепой ведет слепого — Yesli slepoy vedet slepogo) is also widely used as an idiom. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 12)

For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

parable

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The Greek that is usually translated as “parable” in English is translated in other languages in a number of ways:

In British Sign Language it is translated with a sign that combines the signs for “tell-a-story” and “compare.” (Source: Anna Smith)


“Parable” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Scot McKnight (in The Second Testament, publ. 2023) translates it into English as analogy because “the Greek word has the sense of tossing down something alongside something else. Hence an analogy.”

See also image and figures of speech.

complete verse (Luke 6:39)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 6:39:

  • Noongar: “Jesus told them this parable: ‘One blind man can’t go in front of another person. If he does this, both people will fall into a hole.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “And Yesus also said this parable: ‘If a blind person leads his fellow blind person, they will definitely stumble/fall into a ditch.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa also told them a parable, he said, ‘Is it possible for a blind person to lead-by-the-hand another blind person? Will they not both fall into a hole?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus told a parable. He said, ‘It’s not possible for a blind person to lead by the hand another blind person, because both of them will fall into a pit.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus also related to them this parable. ‘Is it possible do-you-suppose for a blind-person to lead his fellow blind-person? If he does that, surely the two of them surely fall over a cliff.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus questioned them in an illustration he gave, saying, ‘Is it possible/acceptable that a guide for a blind person be another equally blind person? Won’t what will happen be that if it’s like that, the two of them will fall into a dug-hole?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("speak")

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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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, hanas-are-ru (話される) or “speak” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Luke 6:39

Exegesis:

eipen de kai parabolēn autois ‘he also told them a proverb.’ The clause marks the beginning of a new section (vv. 39f) which is but loosely connected with what precedes, and contains implicit or explicit injunctions for the disciples (cf. v. 40). The chain of thought appears to be as follows: the disciples who have to give leadership may not be blind. If they are blind as are those whom they are to lead they will fail. But how can they be able to give leadership? Only when they are fully trained and have become like their teacher. For parabolē cf. on 4.23 and 5.36. Here the meaning is “parable-like proverb” (Grundmann). autois refers to the disciples (cf. v. 20).

mēti dunatai tuphlos tuphlon hodēgein ‘can a blind man lead a blind man?’

mēti (also 9.13) interrogative participle used when a negative answer is expected.

hodēgeo ‘to lead,’ here literally, though the proverb as a whole has a figurative meaning.

ouchi amphoteroi eis bothunon empesountai ‘will they not both fall into a pit?’

ouchi here an interrogative participle used when an affirmative answer is expected.

bothunos ‘pit,’ ‘hole,’ ‘ditch.’

empiptō (also 10.36) ‘to fall in, or into,’ here literally, in 10.36 figuratively.

Translation:

Parable, or, ‘proverb,’ ‘figure/illustration’ (see on 4.23 and 5.36).

Can a blind man lead a blind man, or ‘can a blind man lead (or, be guide to) another (blind man) or, his fellow (blind man),’ or with reciprocal verb, ‘can two blind men lead-one-another.’ For blind cf. on 4.18.

Both, or, ‘the two of them,’ ‘they together.’

Fall. Some languages use a specific verbal form for an event that is not expected or intended (e.g. Javanese), or for something that will inevitably happen (Ekari).

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.