Translation commentary on Matthew 20:7

For stylistic reasons They said to him is translated “they answered” by Good News Translation and placed after the quotation. Languages will vary regarding what arrangement is more effective. Also for stylistic reasons Good News Translation and Bible en français courant introduce “Well, then” into the speaker’s remarks as a transitional.

Hired us may need to be expanded to “hired us to work.”

Go is translated “go and work” by Good News Translation (also Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Bible en français courant). Many languages may even require an explicit indication of the nature of the work that the men were sent to do in the vineyard. But see comments at Matthew 20.2.

Too here is used as in Matthew 20.4. Good News Translation has not translated it explicitly here in verse 7.

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 20:7



20:7a

Because no one has hired us: Some words from 20:6c are implied but not repeated here. In some languages, it may be more natural to include these implied words. For example:

⌊We
(excl.) are standing idle⌋ because no one has hired us

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

No one has hired us (God’s Word)
-or-
No one gave us a job. (New Century Version)
-or-
No one gave us work to do.

has hired us: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as has hired also occurs in 20:1b. Translate it here in a similar way. For example:

gave us work
-or-
told us to work

they answered: Verse 20:7a is the workers’ answer to the master’s question. So here is another way to translate this clause that puts the clause at the beginning of the verse, as in the Greek:

They answered him

20:7b

You also go into my vineyard: This is the same exact clause as in 20:4a. Translate it the same way in both places.

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