meek, meekness

The Greek that is often translated as “meek” or “meekness” in English is translated in Malba Birifor as hɛlɛlɛ. David B. Woodford (in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 181 ) tells how that translation was uncovered: “Some words come by the accidents God provides. For a long while we had searched in vain for a word adequate to express ‘meekness.’ Then we gave up (temporarily), and took a walk outside for a break. The grain-stalks left after harvesting were beginning to sprout again, so I said [to the language assistant], ‘Look, they’re sprouting.’ ‘No,’ he said, ‘they’re hɛlɛlɛ.’ ‘What does that mean?’ ‘That is the word we use for new leaves when they are big enough and strong enough to bend and not to break. We use it for people too, who are so strong inside that they don’t need or want to fight you. But if a person is hard and brittle like a dead leaf it means that he is not really strong.’ And that is surely a better word for Bible meekness than anything we can say in English!”

See also gentleness.

complete verse (Titus 3:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of Titus 3:2:

  • Uma: “Don’t criticize, don’t argue with one another. They must make-smooth/gentle their character, and make themselves humble [lit., make their hearts low] to all people.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Teach them forbidding them to speak bad about anybody. They ought not to quarrel/fight instead they should make friends. They ought to be courteous to/treat-according-to-custom all people.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Tell them that they must not gossip about anyone, rather their relationship to all must be peaceful, they must be friends with everybody, and they must not hold themselves high.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They should speak-evil-of no one and they shouldn’t quarrel but rather they should be patient/forbearing/gentle and should always respect/esteem all people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Tell them not to speak badly to/of others and engage-in-disputes. It’s necessary that they always are conducting-themselves-properly/being-nice and are meek/patient with all their fellowmen.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Tell them that they are not to speak evil about anyone. They are not to want arguments. They are to speak good words where they speak. It is to be seen that they live softly where the people are.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Titus 3:2

Paul continues to define the Christian’s behavior and attitude toward people in general, including and especially non-Christians. This consists of four items, two negative and two positive.

Speak evil is literally “blaspheme,” for which see 1 Tim 1.13 and 20. In the New Testament the usual meaning of the verb is to speak evil against a spiritual being, as, for example, God, or the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it also means to insult and slander other people, which is the case in the present context. In many languages it will be expressed as “say bad (or, evil) things about.” No one coupled with all men at the end of the verse stresses the fact that Christians should act in an appropriate manner toward all people.

The word for avoid quarreling is a combination of a negative prefix and a word that comes from the verb “to fight, to quarrel,” either by words or by actions. This negative focus can be retained (as, for example, New English Bible “not to pick quarrels”); however, it is also possible to translate the word positively (for example, Good News Translation “peaceful,” New International Version “peaceable”). See further on “not quarrelsome” in 1 Tim 3.3.

For gentle see 1 Tim 3.3. The word describes a person who is not only gentle but fair, patient, and considerate in dealing with others (so Jerusalem Bible “courteous,” Phillips “reasonable”).

For show see 1 Tim 1.16, where it is translated “display.”

For perfect courtesy see 1 Tim 6.11, where the word is translated “gentleness.” There is an overlap of meaning between this and the preceding term gentle, as the following translations show, arranged according to Revised Standard Version equivalents of gentle – perfect courtesy:
“friendly – show a gentle attitude” (Good News Translation)
“considerate – show true humility” (New International Version)
“courteous – always polite” (Jerusalem Bible)
“show forbearance – show a consistently gentle disposition” (New English Bible)
“reasonable – showing every consideration” (Phillips)

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to Titus. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on Titus 3:2

3:2a

to malign no one: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as malign means “blaspheme/defame/revile.” Titus was to teach that Christians should not speak evil of anyone falsely. See 2:5d and 2:3b.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

to speak no evil about anyone (New Century Version)
-or-
They must not slander anyone (NET Bible)

3:2b

and to be peaceable: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as peaceable describes someone who does not quickly or often fight with others. Here are some other ways to translate this word:

to live in peace (New Century Version)
-or-
not…argue (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
to avoid quarrels (Revised English Bible)

and gentle: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as gentle means “considerate, forbearing, yielding.” It is the opposite of being aggressive. It describes people who are gracious and patient in their behavior toward others and do not demand their own way and their own rights. A modern English term for such people is “mellow.” Here are some other ways to translate this:

kind (New International Reader’s Version)
-or-
not demanding their own way
-or-
respectful/thoughtful of others

3:2c

showing full consideration to everyone: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as full can be interpreted in two ways:

(1) It means that consideration should be complete and shown in all kinds of different ways. For example:

to show perfect courtesy to all people (English Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New American Standard Bible, King James Version, NET Bible, English Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition)

(2) It means consideration should be shown at all times. Believers should always show consideration to others. For example:

and always to show a gentle attitude toward everyone (Good News Bible)

(New Jerusalem Bible, Good News Bible, Revised English Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision))

It is recommended that you follow the first option (1). Most scholars understand the word this way. In some languages it may be possible to combine the ideas by using a word meaning “consistent”:

show consistent courtesy/gentleness to all
-or-
have a consistently courteous/gentle attitude toward everyone

showing full consideration: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as showing…consideration is literally “showing gentleness.” In some languages it may be more natural to say:

act with gentleness

to everyone: This last phrase to everyone means “in your dealings with everyone.” The idea here is that the believers were to show gentleness and courtesy to their unbelieving pagan neighbors and not just to other Christians.

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Sung version of Titus 3

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