angry

The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “(was or became) angry” in English is translated in Kwere as “saw anger.” In Kwere, emotions are always paired with sensory verbs (seeing or smelling or hearing). (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Bariai it is “to have grumbling interiors” (source: Bariai Back Translation).

See also anger and feel (terror, pain, suffering, anxiety).

angry with someone

The Greek that is translated as “angry with (someone)” in English is translated in Low German idiomatically as nich good to spreeken up . . . or “does not speak highly of . . .” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).

complete verse (Matthew 20:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 20:24:

  • Uma: “When the ten disciples heard the request of their two companions, they became angry, getting angry at them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When the ten disciples of Isa heard about the request of the two brothers, they were angry.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when their ten companion disciples heard this, they did not like what these two brothers did.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When their ten companions heard (it), they got-angry-with those two siblings.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When those ten disciples knew, they got angry with the two brothers.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “When the ten learners of Jesus knew what had been asked by the two brothers, they were angry.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 20:24

The ten: some languages will require that ten be followed by the noun which it modifies, which is “disciples.” Moreover, since James and John are also disciples, the full construction should be “the other ten disciples” (Good News Translation). Several translations have “the other ten” (An American Translation, Phillips, New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible), leaving “disciples” without specific mention.

Good News Translation has rendered heard it as “heard about this.” Sometimes translators have to say “heard what those two had done” or “heard about the mother’s request.”

Indignant is the preference of many English translations (New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, New American Bible), though for some speakers it may appear somewhat high level. Both Good News Translation and Moffatt prefer “angry.” Elsewhere in the Gospel this verb is found in 21.15; 26.8.

The two brothers are specifically mentioned in the Greek text, but the ten … the two brothers is restructured by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch as “the other ten … the two.” Each language must, of course, do what seems most natural in the context. Once again (see verse 20) Living Bible introduces the names “James and John” (see Mark 10.41), thereby violating the integrity of the Matthean text, which intentionally avoids mention of the two names throughout the narrative. Mentioning the disciples by name draws immediate attention to these two men and their own prideful ambition, rather than to the teaching of humility and self-denial that Matthew is trying to convey to his readers through the inclusion of the narrative.

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 .