burning desire

In Gbaya, the notion of a burning desire (as in a craving, exceeding love, greed, zeal, or longing) is emphasized in the referenced verses with lɛk-lɛk, an ideophone that refers to someone burning with desire.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

complete verse (Romans 15:23)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 15:23:

  • Uma: “But at this time, my work around here is done. So, since for years I have wanted to go visit you,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But now because my work is finished here in the places here, I think/estimate I am able to go there to you (pl.). For a long time I have wanted to go there to visit you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And now that I have finished my work here in these towns, and because it’s been a long time now that I’ve been thinking about coming there to you,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But now I have finished my work here, so I plan to stop-by there when I go to Espanya, because here it has been how many years that I have strongly-desired to see you. I expect then that when I have satisfied-my-missing-you, you will be able to help me so that I can continue-on to go to Espanya.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But now I can go. Because now I have completed telling the word in the parts around here. The years have really passed since I decided that I would go to where you live to see you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

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 Romans 15:23

This verse introduces the reason why Paul can now visit Rome; he has finished his work in these regions (where Christ has not been heard of). I have finished my work is more literally “no longer having a place” (see King James Version). To translate literally leaves the meaning unclear, and so the Revised Standard Version supplies a noun phrase to help the reader: “since I no longer have any room for work.” The New English Bible is vague “I have no further scope (in these parts)”; An American Translation* renders “there is no more work for me.” I have finished my work may be rendered simply as “I have done what I should do.” In these regions may simply be rendered as “here where I am.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 15:23

15:23a–b

(Revised English Bible🙂 But now I have no further scope in these parts, and I have been longing for many years to visit you: The two Greek verbs that the Revised English Bible translates as I have are literally “having.” There is no verb phrase in this sentence that makes this sentence complete. There are several ways to interpret the Greek sentence structure here:

(1) Take both “having” verbs as “I have.” Greek sometimes uses an -ing ending for a verb with a normal ending. For example:

But now I have no new opportunities for work in this region. For many years I have wanted to visit you (God’s Word)

(Revised English Bible, NET Bible, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) Take the second “having” verb as “I have.” For example:

But now, with no further place for me in these regions, I desire, as I have for many years, to come to you (New Revised Standard Version)

(New Revised Standard Version)

(3) Keep both verbs as “having” and add “I plan.” For example:

But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you, 24 I plan to do so (New International Version)

(New International Version)

(4) Keep both verbs as “having” and pull “I hope” from later in 15:24. For example:

But now that I have finished my work in these regions and since I have been wanting for so many years to come to see you, 24 I hope to do so now (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, English Standard Version, New Century Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because it is a fairly common process in Greek to take a verb with the -ing ending and drop the meaning of -ing. It seems better to treat both “having” verbs equally (interpretation 1) rather than differently (interpretation 2). And interpreting the verse here as having this process occurring seems better than adding words to the text (interpretation 3). And it is better than pulling “I hope” out of its “for” clause (interpretation 4).

15:23a

But now: This phrase indicates contrast to being hindered in the past. The word now refers to the time that Paul wrote the letter.

there are no further opportunities for me in these regions: This indicates that Paul had preached where no one had yet preached throughout the area between Jerusalem and Illyricum (15:19). He must now find new places. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

there is no more place for me to work in these regions (New International Version)
-or-
I have finished my work in these regions (Good News Translation)

there are no further opportunities for me: The word opportunities refers to having enough space in which to do something. There were no new areas between Jerusalem and Illyricum where Paul could preach where someone had not already preached. For example:

there is no more place for me (New International Version)

The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as opportunities has its figurative sense here, “a favorable circumstance for doing something” (BDAG, sense 4). Here are other ways to translate according to that meaning:

I no longer have any opportunity (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
there is nothing left for me to do (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I have finished my work (Good News Translation)

these regions: This refers to the area between Jerusalem and Illyricum (15:19). In some languages the word “those” would be more natural to refer back to the regions Paul talked about in 15:19. For example:

those regions

regions: The singular Greek word refers to an area the size of a Roman province or smaller, but larger than a city and its surrounding area.

15:23b

I have longed: This Greek phrase is more literally “I have had a desire.” Paul had wanted to go to Rome for a long time.

for many years: Here the word many refers to probably twenty or less. It does imply a long time, not just one or two years. Do not use a word that indicates or implies much more than twenty years.

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Commentaire sur la traduction de la lettre aux Romains 15.23

Dans ce verset, Paul explique qu’il pense avoir trouvé le moment opportun pour rendre visite aux chrétiens de Rome. Mais maintenant (νυνί δὲ nuni de) montre qu’il y a un changement dans le planning de Paul. Si, par le passé, Paul n’a pas pu partir, maintenant ce projet semble possible.

comme je n’ai plus de champ d’action dans ces contrées est litt. « n’ayant plus de lieu dans ces régions ». Ceci signifie que Paul a « achevé son travail dans ces régions ou Christ n’était pas connu ». je n’ai plus de champ d’action (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, La Bible du Semeur, Osty-Trinquet) ne rend pas très bien le sens. On pourrait plutôt dire « je n’ai plus d’occupation dans ces contrées » (Bible de Jérusalem) ou « j’ai achevé ma mission dans ces régions ». Pour parler d’une manière plus générale, on pourrait dire « j’ai fait ce que je devais faire ». ces contrées représentent « les régions » où Paul effectuait son ministère.

depuis bien des années, j’ai un vif désir d’aller chez vous : en grec, depuis bien des années se trouve à la fin du verset. La Bible en français courant commence une nouvelle phrase qui continue dans le verset qui suit. Bien que le grec commence par une conjonction contrastive δέ de, celle-ci est omise dans plusieurs versions. La majorité des langues n’auront pas de difficulté à exprimer la notion de « plusieurs années ».

j’ai un vif désir représente un seul mot en grec, qui devrait être explicité. La Parole de Vie dit « J’ai très envie d’aller chez vous ». Les traducteurs pourraient utiliser une expression idiomatique dans leur langue. Dans certaines, ce serait « le désir d’aller chez vous me frappe depuis beaucoup d’années ». Dans certaines versions, on introduit une proposition subordonnée, qui introduira l’idée principale dans le verset qui suit ( Rom 15.24), par exemple, « Comme j’ai très envie d’aller chez vous depuis plusieurs années, sup 24sup* je le ferai quand j’irai en Espagne » (Parole de Vie). Pour l’emploi du verbe aller, voir Rom 15.22.

Source: Margot, Jean-Claude & Zogbo, Lynell. La lettre aux Romains – Manuel de traduction – Commentaire linguistique et exégétique de la Bible. Alliance biblique universelle, 2021.