The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “chief priest” in English is translated in Muyuw as tanuwgwes lun or “ruler-of peace offering.” (Source: David Lithgow in The Bible Translator 1971, p. 118ff. )
Pharisee
The Greek that is a transliteration of the Hebrew Pərūšīm and is transliterated into English as “Pharisee” is transliterated in Chinese as Fǎlìsài (法利賽 / 法利赛) (Protestant) or Fǎlìsāi (法利塞) (Catholic). In Chinese, transliterations can typically be done with a great number of different and identical-sounding characters. Often the meaning of the characters are not relevant, unless they are chosen carefully as in these cases. The Protestant Fǎlìsài can mean something like “Competition for the profit of the law” and the Catholic Fǎlìsāi “Stuffed by/with the profit of the law.” (Source: Zetzsche 1996, p. 51)
parable
The Greek that is translated as “parable” in English is translated in other languages in a number of ways:
- Piro: “picture with words”
- Pamona: “message in the manner of a comparison”
- Highland Totonac and South Bolivian Quechua: “comparison word”
- Tzeltal: “picture story”
- Yucateco and Central Tarahumara: “likeness word”
- Cashibo-Cacataibo: “story which says like that”
- Chicahuaxtla Triqui and Wayuu: “story told for teaching”
- Navajo: “story from which understanding comes”
- Western Kanjobal: “notice from which comes teaching” (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
- North Alaskan Inupiatun: “story with a meaning”
- Kekchí: “changed, or, turned-about word” (source for this and one above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
- Palantla Chinantec: “double talk” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
- Mairasi: “example” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
See also image and figures of speech.
complete verse (Matthew 21:45)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 21:45:
- Uma: “When the chief priests and the Parisi people heard that parable of Yesus, they knew that it was they that he was aiming-at.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “When the leaders of the priests and the Pariseo heard those parables they understood that Isa was talking about them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the Pharisees and the chief priests heard these parables of Jesus, and they understood that he was talking about them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “When the leaders of the priests and the Pharisees heard these parables that Jesus related, they knew that they were the ones he was talking about,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “When the chiefs of the priests and the Pariseo heard that illustration by Jesus, they understood that they were the ones he was alluding to.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “The chief priests and the Pharisees, upon hearing the comparison Jesus had made, realized that he was referring to them.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)