hypocrite

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The Greek and Hebrew terms that are translated as “hypocrite” in English typically have a counterpart in most languages. According to Bratcher / Nida (1961, p. 225), they can be categorized into the following categories:

  • those which employ some concept of “two” or “double”
  • those which make use of some expression of “mouth” or “speaking”
  • those which are based upon some special cultural feature
  • those which employ a non-metaphorical phrase

Following is a list of (back-) translations from some languages:

The Latvian term liekulis was likely coined by the Bible translation of Ernst Glück (1654–1705) in the late 17th century and is still being used today (source ).

The English version of Sarah Ruden (2021) uses “play-actor.” She explains (p. li): “A hupokrites is fundamentally an actor. The word has deep negativity in the Gospels on two counts: professional actors were not respectable people in the ancient world, and traditional Judaism did not countenance any kind of playacting. I write ‘play-actor’ throughout.”

See also hypocrisy.

Isaiah

The name that is transliterated as “Isaiah” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language with the signs signifying “save + prophet” (referring to Genesis 2:21). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Isaiah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

In French Sign Language it is translated with a sign that depicts coals that touch Isaiah’s lips (referring to Isaiah 6:6 and 6:7):


“Isaiah” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

Following is a Russian Orthodox icon of Isaiah from the 18th century (found in the Transfiguration Church, Kizhi Monastery, Karelia, Russia). The text in the scrollis from Isaiah 2:2: “In the last days […] shall be established.”

 
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Isaiah .

Mark 7:1- 2 and 5 - 17a in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 7:1-2 and 5-17a into Mexican Sign Language with back-translations into Spanish and English underneath:


© La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

Retrotraducciones en español (haga clic o pulse aquí)

Todos los judíos y los fariseos tienen sus costumbres y tradiciones, por ejemplo no empiezan a comer antes de lavar las manos, y cuando estén limpios pueden comer.

Los fariseos y algunos maestros de la ley salieron de Jerusalén y fueron (hacia Jesús y sus disípulos) y se dieron cuenta de que los discípulos estaban comiendo pan.

Los Fariseos pensaban: No han lavado las manos, están inmundos. Y dijeron: “Jesús, ¿porqué no obedecen tus discípulos la ley? Ellos saben las costumbres y las tradiciones de la Ley.”

Vemos que los discípulos están comiendo con manos inmundas.

Jesús (dijo): “Alto, mira, les explico algo. Hace mucho el hombre Isaías escribió en un rollo que Dios dice: uds siempre están hablando sobre respeto a Dios, pero adentro sus corazones están vacios, y su adoración a Dios no sirve porque lo que personas inventaron uds lo copiaron y lo han enseñado como ley, y después (se convirtió en) costumbres y tradiciones.

Isaías tenía razón en lo que escribió: Uds mismos, fariseos y maestros de la ley, son hipócritas porque lo que Dios manda en los mandamientos de la ley uds no lo toman en serio, pero las leyes que fueron inventados por personas uds las obedecen como costumbres y tradiciones. ¡Son bien inteligentes! Uds se apartan de los mandamientos de la ley de Dios

Moisés dice que Dios manda en los mandamientos de la ley que se debe respetar a los padres, y si alguien es disrespetuoso y rebelde debe ser matado.

Pero yo veo algo diferente; uds fariseos sugieren a un hombre que diga a sus papás que no les puede ayudar con dinero porque es ocupado por el corban, que significa que da el dinero al templo, para Dios.

¿Porqué aconsejan uds, los fariseos, que no es necesario ayudar a los papás? Porque uds no valoran la palabra de Dios, no lo toman en serio, pero sí valoran sus costumbres y tradiciones como leyes. Veo que tienen muchos errores.”

Llamó a la gente a que vinieran y una multitud se acercó. (Dijo): “Por favor pongan atención. ¿Uds piensan que lo que se come y entra el estomago puede hacer el corazón sucio y separarlos de Dios? No.

Si el corazón está inmundo de adentro sí hay separación de Dios. Veanme y entiendan, uds necesitan intentar a descubrirlo.”

Jesús se despidió y se fue a casa.


All the Jews and the Pharisees have their customs and traditions, for example they don’t begin to eat until they have washed their hands, and when they are clean they can eat.

The Pharisees and some teachers of the Law went out of Jerusalem and went over (towards Jesus and his disciples) and they noted that the disciples were eating bread.

The Pharisees thought: They haven’t washed their hands, they are unclean. And they said: “Jesus, why are your disciples not obeying the Law? They know the customs and the traditions of the Law.

“We see that the disciples are eating with unclean hands.”

Jesus (said): “Stop, look, I will explain something. A long time ago the man Isaiah wrote in a scroll that God says: you are always talking about respect for God, but inside your hearts are empty and your worship is in vane, because things that people have invented, you have copied and taught them as law, and then (they have become) customs and traditions.

“Isaiah was right in what he wrote: You yourselves, Pharisees and teachers of the Law, are hypocrites because what God has ordered in the commandments of the Law you don’t take seriously, but the laws that were invented by people you obey as your customs and traditions. You are really clever! You separate yourselves from the commandments of the Law of God.

§Moses says that God in the commandments of the Law orders that people need to respect their parents, and if someone is disrespectful and rebellious he needs to be killed.

“But I say something different: you Pharisees suggest to a man that he say to his parents that he cannot help them with money because it is taken for the corban, which means that he will give the money to the temple, for God.

“Why do you, Pharisees, advise people that they don’t have to help their parents? Because you don’t value the word of God, you don’t take it seriously, but you do value your customs and traditions as laws. I see that you have many errors.”

He told the people to come and a multitude gathered. (He said): “Please pay attention. You think that what you eat and what goes down to your stomach can make your heart dirty and separate you from God? No.

“If your heart is impure on the inside that will separate you from God. Watch me and understand, you need to try and figure it out.”

Jesus said goodbye and went home.

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

<< Mark 6:53-56 in Mexican Sign Language
Mark 7:3-4 in Mexican Sign Language >>

Mark 7:1-23 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 7:1-23 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:


Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

The people of Judea strictly followed the demands of tradition. Before eating, they were to wash their hands thoroughly up to the elbows. After going to the store and the market, they had to wash their hands thoroughly. Also they had to be thorough with kitchen utensils: cauldrons, plates.

And so the Pharisees and teachers of the law came from Jerusalem. They were indignant when they saw that Jesus’ disciples were not fulfilling the demands of tradition.

In indignation they turned to Jesus:

— Behold, your disciples are not fulfilling the demands of tradition! They had not washed their hands and were eating bread. What is this?

Jesus answered them:

— You Pharisees are hypocrites. In ancient times there lived a prophet named Isaiah. He was talking about the people of his time, but they were just like the Pharisees. The prophet said that these people thought they were very pious, very proud of it, but in fact, inwardly they were empty, far from God. They thought they were pious and outwardly honored God — but it was all false. They began to invent their own rules and laws and pass them off as God’s law, as God’s commandments. That’s what you are doing now, Pharisees. You disregard God’s commandments and make up your own. You have rejected God’s law, but you demand that people obey your rules.

In ancient times Moses gave Ten Commandments. There is this commandment: “Honor your father and mother.” If a son offends his parents, according to the law he should be punished by death.

And it happens like this: old parents who have no money to feed themselves, but the son has money. But you say to such a person:

— You should not give money to old parents, you should bring it as a gift to the Temple.

That is, you encourage people not to take care of their parents. Thus, your rules and statutes abrogate the Law of God.

Jesus called the people together and said to them:

— Listen and ponder! Do you think that man is defiled by food? No! Food is outward. But evil thoughts in the heart are what defile a man and spoil him.

Jesus walked away from the crowd and went into the house. Jesus’ disciples followed him. There the disciples began to question Jesus:

— We did not understand the meaning of what you were telling.

Jesus said:

— Have you not understood? Food is external. What you eat, it will not contaminate you, because it will be digested in the stomach and come out again, it does not give you bad thoughts in your heart. But if you have bad thoughts in your heart, it contaminates you. You think bad thoughts, you start doing bad things: cunning, malice, stealing, murder, cheating, greed, malice, deceit, rudeness, slander, insult, pride, stupidity — where does it all come from? It all comes from within, from the thoughts. If thoughts are dirty, then a person is unclean.

Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):

Жители Иудеи строго выполняли требования традиции. Перед едой они должны были тщательно вымыть руки до локтей. После магазина и рынка должны обязательно чисто-чисто вымыть руки. Также должны были тщательно быть кухонную посуду: котлы, тарелки.

И вот фарисеи и учителя закона пришли из Иерусалима. Они возмутились, когда увидели, что ученики Иисуса не исполняли требований традиции.

В негодовании они обратились к Иисусу:

— Вот, твои ученики не исполняют требований традиции! Они не вымыли руки и стали есть хлеб. Что это такое?

Иисус им ответил:

— Вы фарисеи — лицемеры. В древности жил пророк по имени Исайя. Он говорил о людях своего времени, но они были таким же, как фарисеи. Пророк говорил, что эти люди считали себя очень набожными, очень гордились этим, но на самом деле, внутренне они пусты, далеки от Бога. Они считали себя набожными и внешне почитали Бога — но это все фальшь. Они стали придумывать свои собственные правила и законы и выдавать их за Божий закон, за Божьи заповеди. Так же и вы сейчас поступаете, фарисеи. Вы заповедями Божьими пренебрегаете, и придумываете свои собственные. Божий закон вы отвергли, а требуете, чтобы люди исполняли ваши правила.

В древности Моисей дал 10 заповедей. Есть такая заповедь: «Почитай отца и мать». Если сын оскорбляет своих родителей, по закону он должен быть наказан смертью.

А бывает так: старые родители, у которых нет денег пропитание, а у сына деньги есть. Но вы же говорите такому человеку:

— Не нужно давать денег старым родителям, нужно их принести в дар в Храм.

То есть вы побуждаете людей не заботиться о родителях. Таким образом, ваши правила и уставы отменяют Закон Божий.

Иисус созвал людей и сказал им:

— Слушайте и поразмыслите! Вы думаете, человек оскверняется пищей? Нет! Еда — это внешнее. Но злые мысли в сердце — вот, что оскверняет человека и портят его.

Иисус ушел от толпы и вошел в дом. Ученики Иисуса последовали за ним. Там ученики стали спрашивать Иисуса:

— Мы не поняли смысл того, что ты рассказывал.

Иисус сказал:

— Вы не поняли? Пища — это внешнее. То, что вы едите, это вас не испачкает, потому что это переварится в желудке и снова выйдет наружу, от этого в сердце не появляются плохие мысли. Но если в вашем сердце плохие мысли — это вас пачкает. Вы думаете плохие мысли, начинаете делать плохие дела: хитрость, злоба, воровство, убийство, измены, жадность, злоба, лукавство, грубость, клевета, оскорбление, гордость, глупость — это все откуда? Это все исходит изнутри, из мыслей. Если мысли грязные, то и человек нечист.

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

<< Mark 6:53-56 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 7:24-30 in Russian Sign Language >>

complete verse (Mark 7:6)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 7:6:

  • Uma: “Yesus said: ‘You, your following of God is just on the outside! How true the words that the prophet Yesaya wrote long ago that foretell you, like this their sound: God said: ‘Those people honor me just with their lips, their hearts are far from me.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa answered, he said, ‘You are pretending to follow God but you are not. The word of God is really true which Nabi Isaya wrote about you. There God says, ‘These people honor (lit. make great) me with their mouth, but their livers do not follow/obey me.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus answered, he said, ‘You whose faith in God is just deceit, very true is the word of God written by the ancient prophet Isaiah. He prophesied about you for he said, ‘These people,’ says God, ‘they say that they respect me. But there is no faith that has come into their breaths.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus answered and said, ‘This that God said that Isaias prophesied about you is true which says, ‘These people, they are praising/honoring me with their words, but their mind/thoughts are far from me.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus replied, ‘Really true is what was told by Isaias, that prophet of the past concerning you. You are only pretending to believe-in/obey God, like what he wrote which is the word of God, saying, ‘As for the serving and worshipping of me by these people, it’s only superficial (lit. on their beaks), their having no true holding-dear of me.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

For the Old Testament quote, see Isaiah 29:13.

formal pronoun: Jesus addressing religious leaders

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 religious leaders with the formal pronoun, showing respect. Compare that with the typical address with the informal pronoun of the religious leaders.

The only two exceptions to this are Luke 7:40/43 and 10:26 where Jesus uses the informal pronoun as a response to the sycophantic use of the formal pronoun by the religious leaders (see formal pronoun: religious leaders addressing Jesus).

In most Dutch translations, the same distinctions are made, with the exception of Luke 10:26 where Jesus is using the formal pronoun. In Afrikaans and Western Frisian the informal pronoun is used throughout.

Honorary are / rare constructs denoting God (“say”)

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 show different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morphemes rare (られ) or are (され) are 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, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )