The Greek that is translated as “thorns” in English is translated in Low German with Dießeln or “thistles” which are familiar to speakers of Low German (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).
See also thistles.
complete verse (Luke 8:14)
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 8:14:
- Noongar: “The seeds falling among thorn bushes resemble people: they hear, but hard things come or much wealth or things they desire (lit.: “heart see”). These things push away the seeds and so fruit will not grow.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
- Uma: “‘The seed that falls in the midst of thorns stands for people who hear the Word of God, but they continually think about/consider their lives in the world, they want to be rich and want to receive joy/gladness. All that makes-them-busy, with the result that they do not continue following the Word of God, and there is no purpose to their lives.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “And the seeds that fell into the thorns, is a figure for the people who hear God’s word but while they go ahead many (things) trouble them and they are hindered by their wealth and they like to play-about/have-a-good-time, they are figuratively like plants that are choked and they never reach the stage where their fruit matures.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And that which was planted which fell on the soil where the weeds are thorny, the interpretation of that is people who hear the Word of God, but because of their problems and their love for money and the pleasures which are here on the earth, they forget what they have heard and the Word of God doesn’t do any good for them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “What fell also in the thorny-area, those are the ones who hear the word of God, but they get-sidetracked by what they are worrying about and their getting-rich and the other things they want to enjoy in this life, so the word which they have heard is choked-out and doesn’t bear-fruit.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Well, this scattered on place where weeds are sprouting all over, that’s the people who listen to the word of God, but after a while their belief/obeying is overpowered for their mind is bothered by worries and things they give priority to such as riches and happiness. Well that’s why (it) can’t bear fruit in their lives.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
word / command (of God) (Japanese honorifics)
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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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kotoba (みことば) or “word (of God)” in the referenced verses.
(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Sung version of Luke 8
Translation commentary on Luke 8:14
Exegesis:
to de eis tas akanthas peson ‘and what fell among the thorns,’ or, ‘as for what fell among the thorns,’ taking to … peson as an accusative of reference (cf. Revised Standard Version, Translator’s New Testament). The latter is possible but not necessary. The shift from the masculine to the neuter is remarkable but hardly influences the meaning of the clause since to … peson is taken up by the masculine houtoi.
houtoi eisin hoi akousantes, kai … sumpnigontai ‘those are the people who hear, and … they are choked.’ Same structure as in v. 12, and best rendered in a similar way, e.g. ‘those are the people who hear (the word) and (later on) are choked.’
hupo merimnōn kai ploutou kai hēdonōn tou biou ‘by the worries and wealth and pleasures of life.’ tou biou may go with all three nouns, or with hēdonōn only. The former is preferable, and bios is best understood in its most general meaning, i.e. human, or, earthly life.
merimna (also 21.34) ‘anxiety,’ ‘worry.’
ploutos ‘wealth,’ ‘riches.’
hēdonē ‘pleasure.’
poreuomenoi sumpnigontai ‘going (their way), i.e. in the course of time, they are choked.’ poreuomenoi serves to convey the idea that the choking is a gradual process which takes time.
sumpnigō ‘to choke,’ in v. 42 ‘to press around somebody,’ here equivalent to apopnigō in v. 7.
kai ou telesphorousin ‘and they do not bear (fruit) to maturity,’ rather than ‘they do not come to maturity’ (Willibrord, cf. Klostermann). telesphoreō.
Translation:
As they go on their way, or, ‘on the long run’ (Nieuwe Vertaling), ‘the longer (it) lasts-the-more’ (Balinese), ‘foot by foot’ (Sranan Tongo), and cf. New English Bible, transposing the expression, “but their further growth is choked”.
They are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life. Some adjustments that may be necessary are, (1) a shift to an active construction with the three nouns as subjects (e.g. in Sranan Tongo, Kituba, Zarma); (2) the repetition of the verb, or a synonym, which will lead to the use of two or three verbal clauses (e.g. in Cuyono and Tboli respectively); (3) transposition and/or repetition of the term for ‘life,’ cf. e.g. ‘in (the pursuit of) worldly cares, wealth, and pleasures their growth is stunted’ (Marathi), ‘the business of this life and its riches, and the things of life’s pleasure … they choke it’ (Zarma); (4) a shift from nouns to verbal phrases, e.g. ‘by the fact that (or, because) they have cares (or, are anxious, or, worry), and are rich (or, have many possessions), and love pleasure (or, enjoy themselves) in life.’ — Choked, used in its literal sense in v. 7, but metaphorically here; hence one may, again, have to make explicit the underlying simile, or to shift to an expression that is better applicable to persons, e.g. ‘overcome/defeated’ (Cuyono, Tzeltal), ‘strangled’ (Sranan Tongo), ‘cornered’ (Batak Toba), and cf. Marathi (above). Cares, or, ‘worries,’ or in a descriptive phrase, ‘things that concern them very much’ (Cuyono), ‘thinking over things they lack’ (Tzeltal), and below on 21.34. Of life characterizes the cares etc. as belonging to human/earthly life only; hence, ‘worldly.’ The phrase “pleasures of life” has been rendered by, ‘that which satisfies the breath’ in Tboli, and ‘visible joys’ (i.e. joys belonging to this visible world as opposed to the invisible, supernatural world) in Balinese.
Their fruit does not mature, or, ‘become ripe,’ or, ‘they do not bear/give ripe fruit’ (Marathi); for ‘to bear fruit’ cf. on 3.8f. Non-metaphorically one may say something like, ‘they do not produce good results,’ ‘it does not come to completion (lit. is-not-able-to-finish)’ (Tboli), ‘they do not develop fully.’
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 8:14
8:14a
The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as The seeds that fell among the thorns introduces what happens when seeds fall on thorny ground. This general situation, not just the seeds, represents people who hear God’s message. Some ways to translate this are:
When seeds fall among thorns, it is like when people hear ⌊God’s message⌋…
-or-
The picture of the seeds ⌊scattered⌋ among thorns represent ⌊the kind of⌋ people who hear ⌊God’s message⌋…
See the note at 8:7a for ways to translate among the thorns. Translate the term thorns in the same way that you did at 8:7a.
are those who: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as are those who is literally “are,” as in 8:13a. The Berean Standard Bible uses a different phrase here because that is natural style in English.
8:14b
but as they go on their way: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as as they go on their way is literally “going along.” It refers to the process of doing the normal activities of life. It also indicates that the “choking” of 8:14c is a gradual process. Some ways to express this are:
as time/life continues, they are choked
-or-
they are gradually choked
they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life: This is a metaphor. Here Jesus implied that the people are like the grain plants that were choked by the thorns. These people worry too much about troubles and enjoy too many riches and pleasures. They have no time to act on God’s message, and their faith dies. That is, they do not continue to believe God’s message.
Some ways to translate the metaphor are:
• Use a simile. For example:
They are choked/suffocated by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life ⌊like plants that are choked/suffocated by thorns⌋.
-or-
They are pressed upon by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life ⌊like plants that are crowded out by thorns⌋.
• Make the meaning more explicit. For example:
They are very concerned with the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life. These things crowd God’s message out of their minds just as thorns choke good plants.
they are choked: See the note on “choked the seedlings” at 8:7b. It is good if you have an expression that can fit both choking by thorns and being busy with many concerns. Even if you do not have such an expression, make it clear that earthly concerns can hinder and destroy a person’s faith, just as thorns hinder the growth of good plants.
the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life means “the worries of life, the riches of life, and the pleasures of life.” In this context, “life” refers to physical life and the normal activities that people do as they live. It implies a contrast with eternal life that is concerned with believing God’s message and obeying him.
Some other ways to translate this are:
the worries, riches, and pleasures of ordinary/daily life
-or-
the worries, riches, and pleasures of life in this world
In some languages it may be natural to use verbs for some or all of these ideas. For example:
as they live, they absorb themselves in worrying, gaining riches, or pleasing themselves
-or-
their lives are so busy as they worry about many things and enjoy wealth and pleasures
worries: The word worries refers to anxieties. It is a general word that includes anything that people are anxious about. Other ways to translate this are:
cares (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
the things that people worry about
riches: The word riches refers to money, possessions, and other types of wealth.
pleasures: The word pleasures refers to whatever causes a person enjoyment or delight. Other ways to translate this are:
enjoying themselves
-or-
delights
-or-
the things that people enjoy
8:14c
and: The word and introduces what happens as a result of 8:14b. Some English versions use a conjunction such as “so” that indicates result. Connect this part of the verse to 8:14b in a natural way in your language.
and their fruit does not mature: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mature means “bear ripe fruit,” “bring fruit to maturity.” In this context the phrase does not mature is a metaphor. It compares these people to the plants that are choked by thorns. The plants do not produce ripe fruit and so they are of no use to the farmer. In the same way, these people do not continue to believe God’s message and entrust themselves to him so that they please him.
Some ways to translate this metaphor are:
• Use a simile. For example:
they ⌊are like plants that⌋ do not give any fruit/harvest
• Make the meaning more explicit. For example:
they are as useless as plants that do not produce fruit/grain
-or-
God’s message does not produce good results
-or-
they do not live/act according to God’s message
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