weeping and gnashing of teeth

The Greek and Ge’ez that is translated as “weeping and gnashing of teeth” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with heulen und vor Schmerz mit den Zähnen klappern or “weep and chatter teeth in pain.”

Also in German, the idiom Heulen und Zähneklappern (originally: Heulen und Zähneklappen), which today is used to express anger and outrage, often in a humorous context (literally “weeping and chattering of teeth”), was first coined in 1522 in the German New Testament translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 79)

In Russian, this phrase (Плач и скрежет зубов — Plach i skrezhet zubov) is also widely-used as an idiom, although less often in a humorous content. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 45)

In French, the phrase pleurs et des grincements de dents is likewise used as an idiom. (Source: Muller 1991, p. 16)

gnashing of teeth

Th Greek that is translated as “gnashing of teeth” or similar in English is translated as “gnashing their teeth in pain” in Estado de México Otomi for clarity purposes (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.).

See also gnash / grind teeth.

complete verse (Matthew 13:42)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 13:42:

  • Uma: “All those people will be thrown into the flaming fire. There they will continually cry and suffer/groan.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And they will be thrown into the fire of hell. They will wail there and they will gnash their teeth because of their regret.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they will throw them into the fire, and there they will yell and gnash their teeth because of their great remorse.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They will throw them into the place of fire that never goes-out and they will cry-bitterly while-simultaneously they will also clench-(their) -teeth.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For what will be done to them is that these who are not God’s people will be thrown on the fire which is burning very high and which never dies down. There their teeth will grind and they will cry-loudly without restraint.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “These evil people will be thrown into the oven which has a great fire. There the people will cry and gnash their teeth for the painful situation they endure.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

For the Old Testament quote, see Daniel 3:6

Translation commentary on Matthew 13:42

The subject of throw is still “the angels” of verse 41, and the object, them, is the people who cause others to sin or who do evil. Translators should translate verses 41 and 42 together to make the sentence natural in their language.

The furnace of fire originates from Daniel 3.6. But in the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras 7.36, “the furnace of hell” is mentioned as the final place of the wicked as opposed to “the paradise of delight” where the righteous will live. Furnace of fire may be a problem if readers are not familiar with furnaces. Since, as we point out, this expression can well refer to hell, then “the fires of hell” or “into hell, which is like a great fire” are possible translations. Otherwise “the great fire” can be used.

Weep and gnash their teeth: see comments on 8.12.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 13:42

13:42a

And they will throw them: The angels will throw evil people into the fire. Here the word throw refers to “forcefully putting” someone in a place that he does not want to go.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

⌊the angels⌋ will throw them
-or-

⌊the angels⌋ will throw these evil people

into the fiery furnace: A furnace is like an oven. It is a metal box or clay construction that has a fire inside and openings for air and fuel. It is designed to make the fire very hot. Here, the furnace refers to hell. The word fiery refers to the fire in the furnace. It is very hot. This refers to the intense punishment and suffering of those there.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

into the oven with a great fire
-or-
into the place of hot/strong fire
-or-
into the great fire ⌊of hell⌋

13:42b

where there will be weeping: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as weeping refers to the loud sound that people make when they have much grief and sorrow. It is not a quiet sobbing.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

where there will be wailing (Revised English Bible)
-or-
People will cry (God’s Word)

This same clause is found in 8:12c.

and gnashing of teeth: This phrase refers to grinding of teeth because of pain, anger, and bitterness. In hell, people will be in pain. They will also be angry at what happened to them.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

• Use a term in your language that describes what people do with their teeth when they are in pain and are also angry. For example:

grind teeth
-or-
clench teeth

• Add some information. For example:

they will grind their teeth ⌊in pain and anger⌋

• Translate the meaning of the action. For example:

and be in extreme pain there (God’s Word)

This verb also occurs in 8:12c.

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