Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 7:16:
Uma: “But if I do behavior that I don’t like, it means I admit/confess that the Lord’s Law is good.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “If I hate my deeds which are bad/evil, it means I believe that the law is good.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if I break the Law, but I don’t want to break it, this not wanting to break it is a sign that in my thinking the Law is good.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “So-then, my-not-wanting to do the evil that I am doing, that is what shows that I agree that the law is good.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “But when it is seen that I don’t look well upon what I did, then I know that what is said in the law is very good.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The Greek, Hebrew, and Ge’ez that is translated in English as “Law” or “law” is translated in Mairasi as oro nasinggiei or “prohibited things” (source: Enggavoter 2004) and in Noongar with a capitalized form of the term for “words” (Warrinya) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
In Yucateco the phrase that is used for “law” is “ordered-word” (for “commandment,” it is “spoken-word”) (source: Nida 1947, p. 198) and in Central Tarahumara it is “writing-command.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
In these verses Paul is illustrating that his conscience proved to him that the Law is good. Once again the question is whether Paul is referring to the Jewish Law in particular or to law in general; translators are divided in their conclusions. In verse 15 Paul uses two different words for do, but there is no essential distinction in meaning. Also the word rendered right (“good” in most translations; “admirable” in New English Bible) is not the same word as that translated good or that translated right in verse 12. However, it is unwise to insist on any distinction in meaning.
I do not understand may need to be expressed in a somewhat emphatic form: “I do not really understand.”
The clause I agree that the Law is right may be expressed as direct discourse in some languages: “I say, Yes, the Law is right” or “I answer, Yes, the Law is right.”
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 .
And: The Greek word here is often translated “but” or even “now” (as in the English Standard Version). It introduces something more that Paul said about himself and the law.
if I do what I do not want to do: Here the word if introduces a situation that is true. If this first part is true, that supports the second part (“I admit that the law is good”) to also be true.
In some languages, using an if -clause would have a different meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:
I do what I do not want to do. ⌊True?⌋ ⌊So⌋…
-or-
⌊Would you agree that⌋ I do what I do not want to do? ⌊So⌋…
-or-
⌊You would agree that⌋ I do what I do not want to do. ⌊So⌋…
7:16b
I admit that the law is good: There are two ways to interpret the Greek words here:
(1) There is agreement with the Laws of Moses. For example:
I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good (New American Standard Bible)
(English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible)
(2) There is agreement about the Laws of Moses. For example:
I agree that the law is good (New International Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, New Century Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the Greek grammar does not support interpretation (2).
good: This word indicates that the laws are good and therefore it is good that people follow them.
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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