Language-specific Insights

complete verse (John 7:38)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 7:38:

  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: The one who believes in me will have like a spring in his heart. And much good water will come forth. Thus it is written in the Word of God.”
  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “When one believes in me, it is as you might say, unfailing springs of water come up in his heart, according to the writings.”
  • Aguaruna: “If you believe in me, in your heart, life will come bubbling out, like a stream coming out bubbles. God’s Word which has been written says it will be like that.”
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “. . . Out of you (pl.) shall flow like a mountain stream, water by which to live.”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “I will do like the Word of God which is written says, so that you who trust in me will love other people and you will help them to receive eternal life, like rivers cause the earth that is at the side of them to grow everything.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “Like is written in the Holy Book: whoever believes in me, from their hearts flows much living water.’ ["living water" in Uma means a spring, so this could mean "many springs" or "much spring water"]” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because it is written in the holy-book about the person who believes in me, the holy-book says, ‘Figuratively there will be waters/rivers springing/welling up from inside his liver, water which makes alive.’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because,’ said Jesus, ‘according to the written word of God, if there is anyone who believes in me, from his breath will flow water which is able to give life forever.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because there is that which God caused-to-be-written that says, ‘Whoever believes in me, there will be in him that which gives life which will be like water that flows-out from a spring continually.’ ‘” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because this is the meaning of the word/speech contained in that writing which is the word of God. Whoever believes-in/obeys and trusts-in/relies-on me, there will spring what gives true life, coming from inside him, like the springing of water.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He who believes in me, there will be inside him as though water was springing up which gives the new life. Because thus says the Holy Book.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 8:28)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 8:28:

  • Aguaruna: “Because of this, Jesus said, ‘Fastening me high on a tree, you will know in reference to me, ‘This is the one born becoming a person.’ When you do that you will know, ‘He does not speak just on his own; he tells his Father’s teachings.'”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “And for that reason he said to them, ‘Until you raise me up on high, me, the man from above, until then you will not know who I am. You will know then that I do nothing of myself. I do only what the Father has shown me.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “That is why he said to them again: ‘When you make-me-high later, I the Child of Mankind, only then will you know that it is I. There is not anything that I do according to my own will. I only say what my Father teaches me.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore Isa said to them, ‘When you have already lifted up the Son of Mankind on the post, then you will know that I am the one I am saying. And you will also know that I am not doing anything of myself/my body only and all my teaching is only what my Father commanded me.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore Jesus said again, ‘I, the Older Brother of Mankind, when you have nailed me in the future to the wood that will be stood up, you will then know that I am the one chosen by God to rule. You will know then that all that I do, my Father God has caused me to do, and that which he has caused me to say is what I have said.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore Jesus also said to them, ‘After (lit. When it is finished) you have caused-me who am Child of a Person -to-be-raised on the cross, then you will thoroughly come-to-know that I am whom I said. You will also come-to-know that there is nothing that I do from my own thoughts, but rather I say only what my Father taught me.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore Jesus said next to them, ‘When you are able to set up the cross on which is nailed he who is the One From Heaven Born of Man, therein you will comprehend that what I am telling is really true as to who I am. You will know that there is nothing which I am doing which is just of myself, but on the contrary, what I am saying is what is being shown/taught to me by my Father.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Therefore he said to them, ‘When the Man who came from heaven is nailed to the cross, then you will know who I am. There isn’t one word that I say. The word the Father teaches me is what I speak.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

complete verse (John 8:32)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 8:32:

  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “And you will know the nature of the truth. And you will be liberated on account of having accepted the truth.”
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: ” . . . and when you know the truth you will be taken from your servanthood.”
  • Aguaruna: “And when you do, you will know truth, and that truth will lead you to freedom.”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “And you will know what is truth. And because of truth you will not be ruled over by anyone else.”
  • Chol: “You will begin to become acquainted with the truth of my words. My words are true. They will cause you to become free.”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “You will know what my true words mean, and if you know what they mean, you will no longer be under the foot of evil like slaves.”
  • Lalana Chinantec: “. . . You will no longer need to work without pay like you do now.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “and if you are really my followers, you will really know the true teaching, with the result that you will be free.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And you will know as to what is the truth from God. And this truth will free you from what is enslaving you.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You will know the true doctrine, and by means of this you will be set free from slavery.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You will come-to-know the truth concerning me, and by-means-of this truth, you will-be-set-free.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “You will really recognize the truth, and this truth is what will release you.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And you will know the true word and the true word will save you.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

righteous, righteousness

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The Greek, Hebrew, and Latin terms that are translated in English mostly as “righteous” as an adjective or personified noun or “righteousness” (also as “upright(ness)” and “just(ice)”) are most commonly expressed with concept of “straightness,” though this may be expressed in a number of ways. (Click or tap here to see the details)

Following is a list of (back-) translations of various languages:

  • Bambara, Southern Bobo Madaré, Chokwe (ululi), Amganad Ifugao, Chol, Eastern Maninkakan, Toraja-Sa’dan, Pamona, Batak Toba, Bilua, Tiv: “be straight”
  • Laka: “follow the straight way” or “to straight-straight” (a reduplicated form for emphasis)
  • Sayula Popoluca: “walk straight”
  • Highland Puebla Nahuatl, Kekchí, Muna: “have a straight heart”
  • Kipsigis: “do the truth”
  • Mezquital Otomi: “do according to the truth”
  • Huautla Mazatec: “have truth”
  • Yine: “fulfill what one should do”
  • Indonesian: “be true”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “do just so”
  • Anuak: “do as it should be”
  • Mossi: “have a white stomach” (see also happiness / joy)
  • Paasaal: “white heart” (source: Fabian N. Dapila in The Bible Translator 2024, p. 415ff.)
  • (San Mateo del Mar Huave: “completely good” (the translation does not imply sinless perfection)
  • Nuer: “way of right” (“there is a complex concept of “right” vs. ‘left’ in Nuer where ‘right’ indicates that which is masculine, strong, good, and moral, and ‘left’ denotes what is feminine, weak, and sinful (a strictly masculine viewpoint!) The ‘way of right’ is therefore righteousness, but of course women may also attain this way, for the opposition is more classificatory than descriptive.”) (This and all above from Bratcher / Nida except for Bilua: Carl Gross; Tiv: Rob Koops; Muna: René van den Berg)
  • Central Subanen: “wise-good” (source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. )
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “live well”
  • Mezquital Otomi: “goodness before the face of God” (source for this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl: “the result of heart-straightening” (source: Nida 1947, p. 224)
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “entirely good” (when referred to God), “do good” or “not be a debtor as God sees one” (when referred to people)
  • Carib: “level”
  • Tzotzil: “straight-hearted”
  • Ojitlán Chinantec: “right and straight”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “walk straight” (source for this and four previous: John Beekman in Notes on Translation November 1964, p. 1-22)
  • Makonde: “doing what God wants” (in a context of us doing) and “be good in God’s eyes” (in the context of being made righteous by God) (note that justify / justification is translated as “to be made good in the eyes of God.” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
  • Aari: The Pauline word for “righteous” is generally rendered by “makes one without sin” in the Aari, sometimes “before God” is added for clarity. (Source: Loren Bliese)
  • North Alaskan Inupiatun: “having sin taken away” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 144)
  • Nyamwezi: wa lole: “just” or “someone who follows the law of God” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Venda: “nothing wrong, OK” (Source: J.A. van Roy in The Bible Translator 1972, p. 418ff. )
  • Ekari: maakodo bokouto or “enormous truth” (the same word that is also used for “truth“; bokouto — “enormous” — is being used as an attribute for abstract nouns to denote that they are of God [see also here]; source: Marion Doble in The Bible Translator 1963, p. 37ff. ).
  • Guhu-Samane: pobi or “right” (also: “right (side),” “(legal) right,” “straightness,” “correction,” “south,” “possession,” “pertinence,” “kingdom,” “fame,” “information,” or “speech” — “According to [Guhu-Samane] thinking there is a common core of meaning among all these glosses. Even from an English point of view the first five can be seen to be closely related, simply because of their similarity in English. However, from that point the nuances of meaning are not so apparent. They relate in some such a fashion as this: As one faces the morning sun, south lies to the right hand (as north lies to the left); then at one’s right hand are his possessions and whatever pertains to him; thus, a rich man’s many possessions and scope of power and influence is his kingdom; so, the rich and other important people encounter fame; and all of this spreads as information and forms most of the framework of the people’s speech.”) (Source: Ernest Richert in Notes on Translation 1964, p. 11ff.)
  • German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999): Gerechtheit, a neologism to differentiate it from the commonly-used Gerechtigkeit which can mean “righteousness” but is more often used in modern German as “fairness” (Berger / Nord especially use Gerechtheit in Letter to the Romans) or Gerechtestun, also a neologism, meaning “righteous deeds” (especially in Letter to the Ephesians)
  • “did what he should” (Eastern Highland Otomi)
  • “a clear man, good [man]” (Mairasi) (source: Enggavoter 2004)

See also respectable, righteous, righteous (person), devout, and She is more in the right(eous) than I.

complete verse (John 1:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:14:

  • Aguaruna: “That word, when he arrived here, was born a human being, and in this way he lived with us. That completely good person was a speaker of the truth. And also we came to know his greatness because his Father, God, had said to his only Son, ‘You are great.'”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “The Person who is the Word was born human and he was with us. He loved mankind very much and he taught mankind all the true words of God. We saw him and we realized that he is the Person of greatest worth because he is the only Son of our Father God.”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “And the One who is called Word, he became a Person, and he lived in our midst. And we saw how he had power. That power is that of the only Son of Father God. He is very kind and merciful and all which he says it is true.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “That Word, he became man[kind], and he lived among us (incl.). We (excl.) saw his power. That power of his he received from his Father, for He is the Only Child. [It is] from him that we know God and his grace [lit., white insides] to us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then, the Word appeared/was-born here in the world having a human body and living among mankind. All love and truth was there with him. We (excl.) were-able to see his power and his brightness, and this his power and brightness were fitting for him for he is the only Son of God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the one called the Word of God became human and joined himself to us. He is very gracious and his words are very true. We saw his great high rank which is the high rank of the only child of God. And as for that high rank of his, it was given to him by his Father God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The Word, he became a person and stayed-with us (excl.). He was consistently-compassionate and what he said was all true. We (excl.) saw his godhood which was the godhood of the only Child of God who came-from his Father.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “This Jesus who is called Word, he became a human and then lived here in the world together-with us. His praiseworthiness/glory was experienced by our (excl.) eyes, this glory of his being the glory of the one-and-only Son/child of God the Father. We (excl.) also comprehended the big-size of his grace/mercy and that everything which he revealed/came-out-with is indeed truth.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “He who makes known how God is became a person. He lived here where we live. We saw that he is the greatest. He is the greatest because he is God’s only son. He spoke only what is true and he loves the people without limit.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “That which is-being-called the Word was-born and dwelt/joined-with us (incl.) here. We (excl.) have-seen his high-position as the only Child of the Father. He is very [intensifier] merciful and what he is-telling is pure truth.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Mairasi: “This Message lived as a person, and He lived among us and we saw the height of His shining Glory. This person is the only Child of Our Father, He Himself has good insides and gave us goodness which is tuberfully correct.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Bariai: “And the Talk became human, and so he came living in our (excl.) midst. And so we saw his light and his great power, it’s the light of the one child whose Father sent him to come. He was full of the action/practice of a soft interior and true talk.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Kupsabiny: “That word became a person, it came to live with us and we saw his greatness. That greatness is what a son who is only one, gets from where the father is. He loved people completely and brought the word of truth.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Anindilyakwa: “And that same one who revealed God who was hidden from us, he became a human being like us. He was born, he had flesh and bones and then he lived here and went around with us people. He is rich in love, he was very kind and he kept on and on speaking the truth. We saw that he was the leading powerful and beautiful one, the one who was his Father’s one and only Son, the one who came from his Father to here.” (Source: Julie Waddy in The Bible Translator 2004, p. 452ff.)