endurance

The Greek that is translated in English as “endurance” (or “patience”or “perseverance”) is translated in Tzotzil as “(good) strength of heart(s)” (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.) and in Isthmus Zapotec as “learning not to lose patience.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

In Mairasi it is translated idiomatically as “having well-split bones” (source: Enggavoter 2004).

happiness / joy

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.

Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also Seat of the Mind / Seat of Emotions, rejoiced greatly / celebrated, the Mossi translation of “righteous”, and joy.

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Rom. 5:3)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the inclusive form (including the writer of the letter and the readers).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Romans 5:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 5:3:

  • Uma: “And not only that, we are also glad in the sufferings that hit us. For we know, from those sufferings we become able to endure.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Not only that, but we (incl.) also are glad even though we (incl.) are hard-pressed because we (incl.) know that because of our (incl.) hardship finally we (incl.) know how to endure.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And that’s not all, because these difficulties which we are passing through are being paid back with joy, for we (incl.) know that by means of these difficulties which we are passing through we are taught to endure.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And it is not only that that we are happy-about but rather we are also happy in our being hardshipped, because we know that hardship brings-into-being patience/endurance.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But it is not just concerning the good God will give that we rejoice about, rather when we suffer we also rejoice. Because when one suffers there is how he can begin to endure the suffering he goes through.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Romans 5:3

Paul introduces this verse with a formula (literally “but not only, but also”) which is found elsewhere in his writings (5.11; 8.23; 9.10; 2 Corinthians 8.19). In the Good News Translation this appears as and … also, while the New English Bible translates it “more than this,” Moffatt “not only so,” An American Translation* “more than that,” and the Jerusalem Bible “but that is not all.” Because of the contrast in verse 3 compared with verse 2, it seems more appropriate to employ some kind of adversative particle or phrase—for example, “but in contrast,” “but on the other hand,” or “but … also.”

On the problem of translating we rejoice, see Rom 5.2.

The word translated troubles (so An American Translation*; New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible, Revised Standard Version “sufferings”) originally applied to troubles brought on one from without. It is possible, though not necessary, to understand troubles in the specific sense of those difficulties that Paul and the early believers felt would come on them because they were living in the last age of time. It was a firm belief of the early church that the coming of Christ had inaugurated the end of time, and in light of their Jewish background they looked for the last days of history to bring suffering upon those people who were faithful to God.

Rejoice in our troubles may be rendered as “rejoice because of what we suffer.” A meaning of concession (“rejoice even though we suffer”) should be carefully avoided. Paul’s attitude toward such troubles was far more positive.

Most modern translations render Paul’s next term by endurance along with the Good News Translation (so also in 5.4; see the comment at 2.7; in 8.25 and 15.4, 5 it is rendered patience).

It is difficult in many languages to speak of experiences such as trouble, endurance, or approval as being agents of such events as produces, brings … approval, and creates. The basic relation, however, is one of cause and effect, and this should be preserved in translation. Therefore, one may translate: “for we know that because we suffer we learn how to endure better” or “we know that we become better in enduring because we have suffered trouble.”

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 .