soul

The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that is translated as “soul” in English is translated in Chol with a term that refers to the invisible aspects of human beings (source: Robert Bascom), in Yagaria with oune or “shadow, reflection” (source: Renck, p. 81), and in Elhomwe as “heart” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext).

The Mandarin Chinese línghún (靈魂 / 灵魂), literally “spirit-soul,” is often used for “soul” (along with xīn [心] or “heart”). This is a term that was adopted from Buddhist sources into early Catholic writings and later also by Protestant translators. (Source: Zetzsche 1996, p. 32, see also Clara Ho-yan Chan in this article )

In Chichewa, moyo means both “soul” and “life.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also heart, soul, mind.

world (Chinese)

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “world” in English is translated in Mandarin Chinese with shìjiè (世界). While shìjiè is now the commonly used term for “world” in Chinese, it was popularized as such by Chinese Bible translations. (Source: Mak 2017, p. 241ff.)

See also world.

Mark 8:31 - 38 in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 8:31-38 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)

Jesús les advirtió: “En el futuro cercano, los ancianos judíos, los líderes de los sacerdotes y los maestros de la Ley, que no creen en el Hijo del Hombre, lo rechazarán.

Lo maltratarán, y el Hijo del Hombre tiene que sufrir, ellos lo matarán y morirá, pero después de tres días resucitará.”

Los discípulos pensaban: “Jesús está explicandolo claramente.”

Pedro dijo: “Nosotros dos tenemos un asunto”, y los dos se fueron un poco adelante. (Pedro dijo): Lo que tú dices está equivocado, está mal.”

Jesús miró a los discípulos, y volvió a mirar a Pedro regañandolo: “Tú hablas en la misma manera como satanás. Apartate satanás, tú no piensas como Dios, tú piensas como la gente.” Pedro se calló.

Jesús vio los discípulos y otras personas, y los llamó “ven” y una multitud se acercó. Jesús dijo: “Si uds quieren estar conmigo, acompañarme como discípulos, les advierto que no (pueden decir) necesito cuidar y conservar mi vidas y mis cosas, no, hay que dejar todo.

Deben aceptar a cargar la cruz, que quiere decir que me siguen sufriendo hasta la muerte.

Si dicen: “No, (necesito) cuidar a mi visa y mis cosas, y conservarlos, pues en el futuro perderán su vida.”

Jesús les advirtió: “Si uds creen en mi, y lo anuncian y predican y la gente los matarán, no importa, estarán salvos.

Les advierto: si un hombre rico gan propiedad de negocios por todo el mundo y después muere y pierde su vida y su alma, su riqueza no sirve. ¿Se puede pagar (a Dios) para que te dé vida eterna a tu alma?”

Jesus les advirtió: “Ahora todas las personas malas que no les importa el amor a Dios y que siguen pecando, si mi predicación es una estorba para uds y sienten pena, igual cando en el futuro Dios venga en gloria con el Hijo del Hombre acompañado con muchos ángeles santos, el Hijo del Hombre sentirá pena de ti.”


Jesus warned them: “In the near future the elders of the jews, the leaders of the priests and the teachers of the Law, who don’t believe in the Son of Man, will reject him.

“They will mistreat him and the Son of Man will have to suffer, they will kill him and he will die, but after three days he will rise.”

The disciples thought: “Jesus is explaining it clearly.”

Peter said: “We two have a matter to discuss”, and the two of them went away a little. (Peter said): “You are mistaken in what you say, it is bad!”

Jesus looked at the disciples, and then he looked at Peter again and told him off: “You speak in the same way at Satan. Get away Satan, you don’t think like God, you think like people.” Peter shut up.

Jesus saw the disciples and other people and called them to come, and a multitude approached him. Jesus said: “If you want to be with me, accompany me as disciples, I warn you that you (cannot say) I need to take care of and preserve my life or my things, no, you have to leave it all behind.

“You have to accept carrying the cross, which is to say, follow me in suffering unto death.

If you go: ‘No, I (need to) take care of my life and my things, and preserve them,’ then in the future you will lose your life.”

Jesus warned them: “If you believe in me and you announce it and preach and the people kill you, never mind, you will be saved.

“I warn you: if a rich man gains ownership of businesses throughout the world and then he dies and loses his life and his soul, his richness doesn’t help him. Can you pay (God) so that he will give your soul eternal life?”

Jesus warned them: “Now all the bad people who don’t care about loving God and go on sinning, if my preaching is a nuisance for you and you feel shame, in the same way when in the future God comes in glory with the Son of Man accompanied by many holy angels, the Son of Man will feel ashamed of you.”

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

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Mark 9:1 in Mexican Sign Language >>

Mark 8:34-9:1 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 8:34-9:1 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:


Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

Jesus called the many people together, as well as his disciples.

Jesus said:

— Whoever among you wants to follow me must forsake his private life, his desires. Throughout his life he will accept many oppressions, sufferings until death. If a person is ready for all these things, he can follow me. If a person does not try to save his life, if he leaves his interests for me and for the good news, then the life of such a person will be saved in eternal life.

And the one who tries to save his life and lives for his own sake, the life of such a person will be lost. A man wants to get more riches, but still the life of such a person will be lost. What is the use of riches? Is it possible to buy eternal life with riches? No.

There are those and people who will be ashamed to tell about me before sinners and godless people, but will keep silent. But in the future, I will appear in a white robe, in all the glory of the Father and angels will be around me. And then, I will see people who have been ashamed of me, and I will be ashamed of them too.

And some people who are standing here, even before they die, will see the Kingdom of God in all its power.

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

Иисус созвал множество народа, а также своих учеников.

Иисус сказал:

— Кто из вас хочет последовать за мной, тот должен оставить свою личную жизнь, свои желания. В течение всей его жизни он примет множество притеснений, страданий до самой смерти. Если человек готов ко всем этому, он может последовать за мной. Если человек не старается сберечь свою жизнь, если оставляет свои интересы ради меня и ради благой вести, то жизнь такого человека будет спасена в жизни вечной.

А тот, кто старается свою жизнь сберечь и живет ради себя, то жизнь такого человека будет потеряна. Вот человек хочет получить побольше богатств, но все равно жизнь такого человека будет потеряна. Какая польза от богатства? Разве можно купить за богатство вечную жизнь? Нет.

Есть и такие и люди, которые постыдятся рассказать обо мне перед грешниками и безбожниками, но будут молчать. Но в будущем я предстану в белой одежде, во всей славе Отца и ангелы будут вокруг меня. И вот тогда, я увижу людей, которые постыдились меня, и я их тоже постыжусь.

И некоторые люди, которые стоят здесь, еще до своей смерти увидят Царство Божье во всей силе.

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

<< Mark 8:31-33 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 9:2-8 in Russian Sign Language >>

complete verse (Mark 8:36)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 8:36:

  • Uma: “What is the use of us gathering all the world’s wealth, if we don’t get good life in the future.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For a person, even if he has all the treasures/possessions/wealth in the world, there is no use in it if he has not everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Even if a person can come to own the whole world, it’s no use to him if he is not given eternal life.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because what do-you-suppose will be the benefit to a person if he comes-to-own the entire world and then his life is lost and he is punished forever? None!” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For what does a person gain, even supposing all the wealth here in the world would be his, if his soul/spirit will be lost-permanently because it will have to go there to hardship/suffering which is without ending?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tlahuitoltepec Mixe: “What does it profit if a man gains the world for himself and his soul gets lost?”
  • El Nayar Cora: “When someone will lose his life it will not help him the one who has everything in this world.”
  • San Mateo Del Mar Huave: “What if someone owns everything in the world. What will it serve him if he fails to get life from God.” (Source for this and two above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

Translation commentary on Mark 8:36

Exegesis:

ōphelei (cf. 5.26) ‘does it profit,’ ‘does it benefit.’

kerdēsai ton kosmon holon ‘to gain the whole world,’ i.e. to acquire the sum total of earthly wealth.

kerdainō (only here in Mark) ‘gain.’

kosmos (14.9; 16.15) ‘world’: here in the sense of material riches.

zēmiōthēnai tēn psuchēn autou ‘to forfeit his life,’ ‘to suffer loss of his life’: clearly the meaning is not ‘to die,’ as though physical existence were the meaning of psuchē ‘life’ in this context (cf. previous verse).

zēmioō (only here in Mark) in the passive ‘suffer loss,’ ‘forfeit,’ ‘pay the penalty of.’

Translation:

Does it profit may be rendered as ‘what advantage is there’ or ‘how is it better to.’

Gain the whole world may be ‘receive the whole world’ (Southern Subanen), ‘to come to own the whole world’ (Navajo), ‘to possess everything in the whole world’ (Tzotzil), and ‘to gain the revenues of the whole world’ (Javanese).

Forfeit his life may be ‘pay a penalty consisting of his life’ (Navajo), ‘forfeit his heart,’ in the sense of life and soul (Mitla Zapotec), or ‘lose his real life,’ in order to emphasize the use of life in the special sense of life and all its values, temporal and eternal.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .