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.

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

<< Mark 8:27-30 in Mexican Sign Language
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 8:37)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 8:37:

  • Uma: “For there isn’t anything that we can trade for that good life.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For there is no treasure/wealth in the world that can redeem him in order for him to have everlasting life.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For there is no possession which he can exchange in order to get eternal life.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because there is nothing that a person can exchange for his life.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Of course there’s nothing he could do that could free/save him there.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Peñoles Mixtec: “And it (all things in the world) will not do any good to help his soul.”
  • Tlahuitoltepec Mixe: “Nobody can put the price to a soul.”
  • El Nayar Cora: “There is nothing that he is able to do to buy back a person his own life when it is already lost.”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “What can a man give so that he wouldn’t come to ruin forever?” (Source for this and three above: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

Translation commentary on Mark 8:37

Exegesis:

antallagma tēs psuchēs autou ‘as an exchange for his life.’

antallagma (only here in Mark) ‘purchasing price,’ ‘exchange.’ The answer to this rhetorical question is that there is nothing which a man can give to compensate for the loss of his psuchē ‘(real) life,’ i.e. the loss of his very self. Cf. Lagrange: “a life which is his true life, his soul, himself.”

Translation:

Give in return for is in some languages equivalent to ‘pay as a price for keeping’ or ‘pay to get back,’ or ‘pay in exchange for.’

Life should be translated the same in this verse as in 8.36.

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 .

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 8:37

8:37

Or: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as Or is often translated as “For,” as in the Revised Standard Version. As in 8:36a, this conjunction introduces another reason why a person should deny himself and be ready to die as a disciple (8:34). Here this conjunction introduces a question that is similar to the question in 8:36. So this conjunction probably connects 8:37 to 8:36 and 8:34.

Many English versions do not have a connector here.

Here are some other ways to express the connection:

Indeed (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
To put it another way (Translator’s Reference Translation)

Introduce the verse in your language in a way that clearly communicates the connection with the preceding verse or verses.

what can a man give in exchange for his soul?: This is a rhetorical question that expects a negative answer. Jesus asked this question to emphasize that no one is able to pay enough to buy true life with God. There is nothing that a person can give to God that would be a fair exchange for his eternal life. There are at least two ways to translate this.

• As a rhetorical question. For example, the New Jerusalem Bible says:

And indeed, what can anyone offer in exchange for his life?

• As a statement. For example:

They could never pay enough to buy true life with God.

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to emphasize a fact that everyone should know is true.

© 2008 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.