In the German Gute Nachricht (Good News) translation of 1982, this occurrence of the Greek term which is translated in most English versions of “kingdom (of God or heaven)” is translated with a form of “once God finalizes his creation (or “work”) . . . ” (Wenn Gott sein Werk vollendet . . .). For an explanation of the differentiated translation in German as well as translation choices in a number of languages, see Kingdom (of God / heaven).
formal pronoun: common people addressing Jesus
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, the crowd (or individuals within the crowd) addresses Jesus with the formal pronoun, expressing respect.
complete verse (Matthew 20:21)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 20:21:
- Uma: “Yesus asked: ‘What do you (sing.) request?’ The mother said: ‘My request is that when you (sing.) become King, these my two children sit and rule together with you (sing.), one on your (sing.) right side, one on your (sing.) left side.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “‘What do you want?’ said Isa. The woman said, ‘I would like that when you already sit to rule, you will seat these my sons at your side, one on the right and one on the left.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “‘What do you want?’ asked Jesus. And the woman answered, ‘As for these two sons of mine who are disciples of yours, I want that in the future when you sit on your seat of ruling, you let them sit also, one on your right side and the other on your left.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “‘What do you (sing.) want?’ said Jesus. ‘Please promise that in your (sing.) ruling, these two children of mine will sit-with you (sing.) on your (sing.) right and on your (sing.) left,’ she said in reply.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “‘What aid are you asking for?’ said Jesus.She answered saying, ‘Hopefully you will grant to these sons of mine the right that right beside you is where they will sit there in your kingdom. One on your right, one on the left.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Jesus said: ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he said. The woman said to Jesus: ‘I want that there where you sit to rule, you will give permission to these two sons of mine, that one will sit at your right, one will sit at your left.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
word (Japanese honorifics)
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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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.
In these verses, the Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “word” or “bidding” in English is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as o-kotoba (おことば), combining “word” (kotoba) with the respectful prefix o-. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff.
respectful form of "give" (kudasaru)
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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 to do this is through the usage of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, kudasaru (下さる), a respectful form of kureru (くれる) or “give” is used.
(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
See also respectful form of “give” (tamawaru) and give (Japanese honorifics).
Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("say")
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is 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. )
Translation commentary on Matthew 20:21
And he said to her: Good News Translation translates “Jesus asked her” and places these words after the speaker’s words. But this is purely a stylistic maneuver, and each language will have its own preference of form.
You is singular; Jesus is addressing only the mother.
Command that (An American Translation, Moffatt “Give orders that”) is literally “Say that.” Good News Translation and New American Bible each have “Promise me that,” which is similar to “Promise that” of New Jerusalem Bible; New English Bible has “I want you … to give orders that.” On the basis of the Greek text, any of these solutions are valid. However, if either Command that or “Give orders that” is used, then some languages may require explicit mention of the person or persons to whom the order is given. Since the woman is actually making a request of Jesus, it is possible to translate either as Barclay (“I want my two sons … to sit”) or New International Version (“Grant that”).
One at your right hand and one at your left may be clear enough for some readers, but others may require a footnote (as in Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) indicating that these two places represented positions of authority and power. Some translators have made this information explicit in the text, with a phrase such as “at the important (or, honored) positions to your right and to your left.”
At your right hand may more naturally be “at your right side” or even “at your right.” At your left is similar.
In your kingdom will be clearer if translated in the fashion of Phillips and Good News Translation: “when you are King.” For the meaning of kingdom see comments at 3.2. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “when you assume your rulership”; and other languages may be more natural if the clause order is reversed: “Promise me that when you are king, you will let one of my two sons sit at your right and one sit at your left.”
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 20:21
20:21a
“What do you want?” He inquired: Jesus asked the woman a question. So, here it may be more natural to use the verb “asked” rather than inquired. For example:
he asked her (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
What do you want?: In Greek, the pronoun you is singular. Jesus asked the woman what she wanted.
20:21b
Declare that: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Declare that is the ordinary verb “speak.” Here it is in the form of a command, but the context indicates it is the mother’s request. Her request is that Jesus promise her something.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
Promise that (New Century Version)
-or-
Please let (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Permit (NET Bible)
-or-
I would like that
in Your kingdom: This phrase refers to the time when Jesus would reign as king. Here is another way to translate it:
when you are king (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
when you sit to rule
one of these two sons of mine: The woman used the word these to refer to the two sons who were there with her. We cannot know how many sons she had in all. It’s possible she had more than two, but she was asking on behalf of these two. You should avoid translating in a way that implies that they were her only sons.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
one of my two sons here
may sit: In many cultures, the position of greatest honor and authority underneath the king is at the king’s side. The women was asking Jesus to give her sons the second most important positions in his kingdom.
In some languages, it may be natural to include some of this implied information in the text. For example:
sit in places of honor next to you (New Living Translation (2004))
In other languages, this information can be included in a footnote. Here is a sample footnote:
The right hand side of a king’s throne was the place for the king’s most powerful official. The left hand side was also an important position. In this context, both would be equally important.
20:21c
at Your right hand: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as at Your right hand means “on your right side.” It refers to the most important position next to the king.
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
on your right side
and the other at Your left: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as at Your left means “on your left side.” This place would usually be a lesser position near the king. But in this context, the mother did not name which son should be in which position. So the important meaning is that these were the most important places for anyone.
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
on your left side
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