addressing Jesus in Nepali

The various Greek terms that are translated as “Lord,” “teacher,” or “rabbi” in English are translated in the Simple Nepali Holy Bible (2008) as guru-jyuu (गुरुज्‍यू). Guru simply means “teacher” and the honorific suffix -jyuu is added to it. Instead of guru-jyuu one can also simply use guru, which does not sound impolite. However, guru-jyuu is more respectful and thus preferable. (Source: Chitra Chhetri in The Bible Translator 2009, p. 73ff. )

See also rabbi, teacher, and Lord.

complete verse (Matthew 13:51)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 13:51:

  • Uma: “After that, Yesus asked his disciples, he said: ‘Did you understand my parables?’ They answered: ‘We did understand.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Isa asked his disciples, he said, ‘Did you understand all that I said to you?’ ‘Yes,’ they said.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then Jesus asked his disciples, saying, ‘Do you understand this which I am saying to you?’ ‘Yes, we understand,’ they said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Have you understood all this?’ said Jesus. ‘Yes,’ they said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, do you understand all this?’ said Jesus.’Yes,’ said his disciples, ‘we understand it.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Jesus asked the people, saying: ‘Do you understand well the words I speak or not?’ The people said: ‘Yes, Lord, we understand the word you speak,’ they said.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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 shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Matthew 13:51

All this (Good News Translation “these things”) refers back to the teaching in parables contained in this chapter.

They are the disciples and perhaps should be made explicit, since they are last identified in verse 36. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates with considerable restructuring: “ ‘Have you understood all this?’ Jesus asked his disciples, and they answered, ‘Yes!’ ”

In fact, many translators will need to restructure somewhat as Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has done, to make clear who is asking the question of whom. An example is “Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Do you understand all these things?’ and they answered, ‘Yes.’ ” It may be better to use indirect speech, as in “Jesus asked his disciples if they had understood all these things, and they said they had.”

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 13:51

Section 13:51–52

Jesus told the parable about the owner of a house

In this parable, Jesus compared Christian teachers to a house owner who shares his riches with others. Christian teachings are like the house owner’s riches. These teachers will teach to others the things that they have learned about the scriptures at that time (the Old Testament). They will also teach others the new things that Jesus had been teaching them.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus told the parable of the head of a house
-or-
New and Old Treasures (Contemporary English Version)

This parable occurs only in Matthew.

Paragraph 13:51–52

13:51a

Have you understood: The pronoun you refers to Jesus’ disciples. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. It may also be necessary to make explicit that Jesus was talking. For example:

⌊Jesus asked the disciples⌋ , “Have you understood”

all these things: This phrase refers to Jesus’ teachings through the parables in 13:3–50.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

all those teachings
-or-
all that I have said to you

13:51b

“Yes,” they answered: The pronoun they refers to his disciples.

In some languages, it may be more natural to translate this as indirect speech. For example:

They told him that they did understand.

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