The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “thirst” or “thirsty” in English is translated in Kituba as “hungry for water.” (Source: Donald Deer in The Bible Translator 1973, p. 207ff. )
See also thirst (figuratively).
Καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ ἡ νύμφη λέγουσιν, Ἔρχου. καὶ ὁ ἀκούων εἰπάτω, Ἔρχου. καὶ ὁ διψῶν ἐρχέσθω, ὁ θέλων λαβέτω ὕδωρ ζωῆς δωρεάν.
17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”
And let everyone who hears say, “Come.”
And let everyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “thirst” or “thirsty” in English is translated in Kituba as “hungry for water.” (Source: Donald Deer in The Bible Translator 1973, p. 207ff. )
See also thirst (figuratively).
Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 22:17:
See Holy Spirit.
The translator should consider the possibility of presenting this verse in poetic form, as a stanza of three or four lines (see Section F of the introduction, “Translating the Revelation to John,” pages 6 and following).
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come”: the command, or request, is addressed to Christ, asking him to come at once to the world. Here the Spirit is speaking together with the Bride, the people of God (19.7). It may be that the Spirit is speaking through the prophet, but the text does not imply this. It may be necessary to indicate explicitly to whom they speak: “The Spirit and the Bride say to Jesus…” or “… say, ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’ ” (see verse 20). For Bride see 19.7. In this context another way of expressing this is “the wife of the Lamb.”
Let him who hears say: “and all those who hear this are also to say.” The assembled believers, as they hear this book being read to them (1.3 and comments), are to repeat the prayer of the Spirit and the Bride.
Him who is thirsty … him who desires: the plural form can be used, in order to avoid being exclusive: “All who are thirsty and who want water (or, want water to drink).”
Come … take the water of life without price: “Come … and drink the life-giving water, without having to pay for it” (see 21.6). This invitation is addressed to those who are thirsty and want water.
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• The Spirit (or, God’s Spirit) and the Wife of the Lamb say to Jesus, “You [singular] must come.” Everyone who hears this must also say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty must come and accept the water that gives life.
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .