Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 25:5:
Uma: “Since the bridegroom was a long time in coming, the young women became sleepy, and finally they all went to sleep.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Because the bridegroom did not come for a long time they became sleepy and finally they all slept.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And since the bridegroom was a long time arriving, they were nodding their heads waiting, being sleepy.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “So then, they waited a very-long-time for the coming of the man-getting-married, so they began to nod-sleepily and then they went-to-sleep.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Since the arrival of that man who was being married was delayed, those girls got sleepy. They then fell asleep.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “But the bridegroom for whom they waited didn’t show up. The girls were tired and all went to sleep.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Hand colored stencil print on momigami by Sadao Watanabe (1979).
Image taken with permission from the SadaoHanga Catalogue where you can find many more images and information about Sadao Watanabe. For other images of Sadao Watanabe art works in TIPs, see here.
The following artwork “Ten Virgins” is by Nyoman Darsane (1939-2024):
Nyoman Darsane was born and raised as a Hindu. Like many Balinese rice farmers, his father was also a musician who played in the orchestra of the local ruler. Darsane was brought up together with one of the princes and educated in the palace. That provided him with a deep knowledge of Hindu-Balinese religion and culture. It paved the way for him to become not only a painter but also a musician, dancer, and puppet player. An academic training at the college in Semarang, Java, finally made him familiar with the Western tradition as well. His early paintings are reminiscent of Gauguin, van Gogh, and Nolde. Darsane thus belongs to the heterogeneous group of the so-called academicians, those artists who have studied at one of the country’s art colleges. Although they are experimenting with Western influences in style, they have continuously been searching for their own Balinese identity. In Darsane’s case a special emphasis adds to this search: since he converted to Christianity he has been trying to mold this religion into a Balinese form.
Darsane was supported by the Bishop Wayan Mastra (b. 1931), who theologically comes from a more evangelical background. As a tiny minority among the Hindu-Balinese people, the Bali Church embraced inculturation. Churches are built in traditional Balinese temple style and local artists have been asked to design the decoration of the buildings. Balinese music and dance are used in the liturgy and the impact of these cultural traditionscan be seen in Darsane’s paintings.
As a result of his conversion at the age of seventeen, Darsane had been excluded from his family and ostracized by his village community. The Hindu-Balinese religion originated from the encounter between Hinduism and Balinese tribal religions, and it still has many features of this primal religion. Religion and community are closely intertwined; whoever turns away from the common religion also renounces the solidarity of the community. Darsane’s constant effort to give Christianity a Balinese shape finally convinced his family and the community that he stilt is one of them. Today he is again well respected and his advice even in religious matters is highly appreciated. (Source: Volker Küster in Pongracz / Küster / Cook 2007, p. 34; image: p. 113)
Translators have handled As in a variety of ways. Some, for example Good News Translation, show the relationship between the two parts of the verse by stating that the bridegroom was delayed, and then having “so” or “as a result.” Others will begin the verse with “When” or “Since.”
Was delayed translates the same verb discussed in 24.48. This then provides the second linguistic link with the preceding parable, which also employs the adjective “wise” in the mention of the “wise servant” (24.45). In this verse translators may have “was late in arriving,” “did not come for a long time,” or “did not come when they expected him.”
They all includes only “the girls” (Good News Translation) rather than all the guests at the wedding.
Slumbered and slept is more accurately “grew drowsy and fell asleep” (Moffatt, An American Translation, New Jerusalem Bible) or “dozed off to sleep” (New English Bible), with the first verb probably implying near sleep (though it may also mean sleep), and the second indicating actual sleep.
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 .
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