neighbor

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “neighbor” in English is rendered into Babatana as “different man,” i.e. someone who is not one of your relatives. (Source: David Clark)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun, it is rendered as “a person outside of your building,” in Tzeltal as “your back and side” (implying position of the dwellings), in Indonesian and in Tae’ as “your fellow-man,” in Toraja-Sa’dan it is “your fellow earth-dweller,” in Shona (translation of 1966) as “another person like you,” in Kekchí “younger-brother-older-brother” (a compound which means all one’s neighbors in a community) (sources: Bratcher / Nida and Reiling / Swellengrebel), in Mairasi “your people” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Mezquital Otomi as “fellow being,” in Tzeltal as “companion,” in Isthmus Zapotec as “another,” in Teutila Cuicatec as “all people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), and in most modern German translations as Mitmensch or “fellow human being” (lit. “with + human being”).

In Matt 19:19, Matt 22:39, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27, Luke 10:29 it is translated into Ixcatlán Mazatec with a term that refers to a person who is socially/physically near. Ixcatlán Mazatec also has a another term for “neighbor” that means “fellow humans-outsiders” which was not chosen for these passages. (Source: Robert Bascom)

In Noongar it is translated as moorta-boordak or “people nearby” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

neighbor - relative

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “neighbor” or “relative” in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) and the Buku Lopatulika translation (1922/2018) with just one word: nansi. This word can also be translated as neighbors whom you share a blood relation with because in Chewa context a community is mostly comprised of people of blood relations. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

complete verse (Matthew 5:43)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 5:43:

  • Uma: “‘You also know the teaching that says: ‘Love your (sing.) friends, hate your (sing.) enemies.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘You have heard this teaching, it says, ‘Love your friend and hate your enemy.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “We know that which was taught long ago that we should treat our companions well, and our enemies, we will fight with them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘You have heard what was commanded back-then saying, ‘Love your (sing.) friends, but hate your (sing.) enemies.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Isn’t it so that you (pl.) have heard the people’s saying/proverb, ‘Value your companions but hate your opponents.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “You have heard the word taught to the people in past days, that they were told: ‘Love your friends. Concerning your enemies, do not love them,’ they were told.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).

formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

Here, Jesus is addressing his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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 formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

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

Translation commentary on Matthew 5:43

You have heard that it was said: see comments on verses 21 and 27.

The command love your neighbor comes from Leviticus 19.18, and it was always interpreted so as to apply to fellow Israelites, not to aliens. New American Bible translates “You shall love your countryman,” and Good News Translation “Love your friends.”

It would be wrong to use a word for neighbor that meant only someone who lived in the immediate area, such as in the same section of town. Some translations follow New American Bible with “your countryman” or “your own people.” This is probably the best rendering. Others follow Good News Translation, “your friends,” or “the people you like,” or even “the people who like you.” Note that “neighbor” may be singular or plural, depending on which is more natural.

Love is extraordinarily difficult to translate in many parts of the world. In those languages which do not have a real equivalent, different ways of speaking of love are used, including “be concerned for their welfare,” “care for,” “treat (or, think of) with affection,” “have sweet (or hot, or cool, etc.) stomach (or liver, or heart) for,” and so on. The term from the Old Testament always implies a sense of faithful loyalty, not mere emotion, so that expressions which approach this idea are to be preferred over those meaning merely to like someone very much.

As in verse 21, shall is an imperative.

The command hate your enemy has puzzled scholars. It cannot be found as a quotation, nor can it be considered as a fair interpretation of Jewish ethics of the time. But although the command is not specifically mentioned in the Old Testament, there are many passages which not only permit but even encourage hatred and revenge against one’s enemies. Moreover, groups such as the scribes and the Qumran sect, which thrived on absolute devotion to God and strict observance to his laws, did despise and even hate people of less dedication. Therefore it is quite likely that Jesus’ words reflect popular attitudes of his day, if not actual teachings.

Some languages will express hate as “despise” or “wish evil toward.”

If there is no word for enemy in a language, then translators use a phrase such as “the person who hates you” or “who opposes you.”

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 .