amazed, astonished, marvel

The Greek that is translated as “astonished” or “amazed” or “marvel” in English is translated in Pwo Karen as “stand up very tall.” (In John 5:20, source: David Clark)

Elsewhere it is translated as “confusing the inside of the head” (Mende), “shiver in the liver” (Uduk, Laka), “to lose one’s heart” (Mískito, Tzotzil), “to shake” (Southern Bobo Madaré), “to be with mouth open” (Panao Huánuco Quechua) (source: Bratcher / Nida), “to stand with your mouth open” (Citak) (source: Stringer 2007, p. 120), “ceasing to think with the heart” (Bulu), or “surprise in the heart” (Yamba) (source for this and one above: W. Reyburn in The Bible Translator 1959, p. 1ff. ).

In Mark 5:20 and elsewhere where the astonishment is a response to listening to Jesus, the translation is “listened quietly” in Central Tarahumara, “they forgot listening” (because they were so absorbed in what they heard that they forgot everything else) in San Miguel El Grande Mixtec, “it was considered very strange by them” in Tzeltal (source: Bratcher / Nida), “in glad amazement” (to distinguish it from other kinds of amazement) (Quetzaltepec Mixe) (source: Robert Bascom), or “breath evaporated” (Mairasi) (source: Enngavoter 2004).

In Western Dani astonishment is emphasized with direct speech. In Mark 1:22, for instance, it says: “Wi!” yinuk, pi wareegwaarak — “They were all amazed, saying ‘Oh'” (source: Lourens De Vries in The Bible Translator 1992, p. 333ff. )

In Low German it is translated as grote Oken maken or “make big eyes” (sometime followed by: un kreegn dat Stillswiegen: “and became silent”) (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).

See also amazed and astonished.

complete verse (Luke 8:56)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 8:56:

  • Nyongar: “Her father and mother were astonished, but Jesus told them they must not tell people what happened.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Her parents were very surprised. But Yesus forbade them, that they not say to anyone what had happened.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The parents of the child wondered very much. But they were sternly instructed by Isa not to tell anybody (lit. even who) about it.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the parents of the child were very, very surprised at this which Jesus had done. And Jesus said to them that they should not tell this to anybody.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Her father and mother were extremely amazed, but Jesus instructed them that they were absolutely not to relate what had happened to even any person.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jairo and spouse/company were amazed. But Jesus impressed upon them not to tell anyone about that which he had done.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)