complete verse (Matthew 22:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 22:4:

  • Uma: “That is why he again ordered other servants of his, he said to them: ‘Say to those who are invited: the food is cooked, cows with other fat animals have been slaughtered, all is ready. Let’s go to the wedding feast!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then he sent again others of his servants to go, he said, ‘Tell the ones invited that the food is cooked, the steers and the fattest calves have been butchered and everything is ready. Therefore they should come now to the feast.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And he again sent some other servants, and he said to them, ‘Tell the people that I have killed my cows and my fattened calves, and the food is on the table. Have them come.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore he sent again other slaves so that they would tell the people who were invited, ‘Come on and attend-the-wedding, because everything is made-ready. We (excl.) butchered our (excl.) fat cows and they are all cooked.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “He sent others of his slaves instructing them, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited that the feast has been prepared. I’ve killed my cows that I had fattened. Everything really is ready now. That’s why you are being fetched now.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Again he sent other servants and said: ‘Go tell the people whom I have invited that now I have prepared the food. I have killed my cows which were fattened. I have prepared well. Tell them to come attend the wedding,’ he told his servants.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Japanese benefactives (oide)

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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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, oide (おいで) or “come” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

respectful form of "come" (oide ni naru)

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 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, oide ni naru (おいでになる), a respectful form of kuru (来る) or “come” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Matthew 22:4

The sending of other servants recalls 21.36 (“Again he sent other servants”). Barclay has “He sent out a second lot of servants.”

Saying of the Greek text is translated “with this message for the guests” by Good News Translation. It is also possible to translate “So he sent other servants, and told them to say to the guests….” Depending upon the interpretation of the previous verse, this will be either a second or third invitation offered the guests. Most commentators and translators believe it to be the third invitation, following immediately upon their previous rejection. In either case, through this use of multiple invitations, Matthew emphatically underscores the refusal of the guests to respond to the invitation.

Behold serves as an attention-getter (see 1.20); New English Bible has “See now!”

Dinner translates a noun which originally meant “breakfast” but which later was used of other meals as well, including a “feast” (Good News Translation, New English Bible) or “banquet” (New Jerusalem Bible). Elsewhere in the New Testament, the noun occurs only in the Lukan parallel (11.38) and in Luke 14.12; the corresponding verb is used in Luke 11.37. Since dinner is here placed in parallel with marriage feast (see below and Matthew 22.2), one will want to be sure in translation that the readers understand the reference is to the same meal. Behold, I have made ready my dinner is translated “All preparations for the feast are completed” by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch; New English Bible identifies the persons for whom the preparations have been made: “I have prepared this feast for you.”

Oxen and fat calves (Barclay “oxen and specially fattened calves”) is a way of speaking of the most choice animals. The word translated oxen (Good News Translation “steers”) is used in the New Testament elsewhere only in Hebrews 9.13 and 10.4, where it refers to a sacrificial animal. If oxen are unknown, the translators may say “young bulls” or, if even that poses some problem for readers, “best cattle.” Fat calves (Good News Translation “prize calves”), a word used only here in the New Testament, describes cattle that have been fattened for a special occasion. Often that is exactly what translators say: “calves that have been fed specially to be fat and good for eating.” But “best calves for eating” may be an easier expression.

Good News Translation renders are killed by “have been butchered.” If a passive construction like this is awkward, then “I have butchered” may be better.

And everything is ready may need to be translated “and everything else is ready,” or else rendered as a separate statement, “Everything is ready!”

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 .