The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin that is often translated as “gentiles” (or “nations”) in English is often translated as a “local equivalent of ‘foreigners,'” such as “the people of other lands” (Guerrero Amuzgo), “people of other towns” (Tzeltal), “people of other languages” (San Miguel El Grande Mixtec), “strange peoples” (Navajo (Dinė)) (this and above, see Bratcher / Nida), “outsiders” (Ekari), “people of foreign lands” (Kannada), “non-Jews” (North Alaskan Inupiatun), “people being-in-darkness” (a figurative expression for people lacking cultural or religious insight) (Toraja-Sa’dan) (source for this and three above Reiling / Swellengrebel), “from different places all people” (Martu Wangka) (source: Carl Gross).
Tzeltal translates it as “people in all different towns,” Chicahuaxtla Triqui as “the people who live all over the world,” Highland Totonac as “all the outsider people,” Sayula Popoluca as “(people) in every land” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Chichimeca-Jonaz as “foreign people who are not Jews,” Sierra de Juárez Zapotec as “people of other nations” (source of this and one above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), Highland Totonac as “outsider people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), Uma as “people who are not the descendants of Israel” (source: Uma Back Translation), “other ethnic groups” (source: Newari Back Translation), and Yakan as “the other tribes” (source: Yakan Back Translation).
In Chichewa, it is translated with mitundu or “races.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
See also nations.
The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is translated with “joy” or “gladness” in English is translated with various strategies:
- Baoulé: “a song in the stomach” (see also peace (inner peace))
- Bambara: “the spirit is made sweet”
- Kpelle: “sweet heart”
- Tzeltal: “the good taste of one’s heart”
- Uduk: “good to the stomach”
- Mískito: “the liver is wide open” (“happily letting the pleasures flooding in upon it”) (source for this and above: Nida 1952)
- Mairasi: “good liver” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
- Noongar: koort-kwabba-djil or “heart very good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
- Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “refreshed heart” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).
See also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling,” happiness / joy, and exceeding joy.
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 1:6:
- Uma: “So also you Kristen people there in the village of Roma. God called you as well to become the portion of Yesus Kristus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “You (pl.) the ones who are there in the place Roma are also included. You were chosen by God so that you belong to Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for you there in the town of Rome, you’re included also in these people, for God has made a way so that you might believe and you might become the subjects of Jesus Christ.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Even you also there in Roma, you are included-with the people whom God has called/invited to be joined to Jesu Cristo.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Of these people whom God called to believe in Jesus Christ, you also were called by God to believe in Jesus Christ now.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Tzeltal: “As, for example, you whom Jesus Christ has called to himself.”
- Highland Totonac: “And of these also were some of you who have been chosen in order that you will belong to Christ.”
- Sayula Popoluca: “And you likewise I tell you that God called you so that Jesus Christ could make you his own.”
- Isthmus Zapotec: “And among those people (I’ve just mentioned), you (pl.) are included because God has spoken to you that you should become Jesus Christ’s people (or followers).” (Source for this and three above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 3:18:
- Uma: “‘They do not know at all how to submit to God.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “They have no fear of God.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they also do not think that they should be afraid to sin against God.’ This is what the written word of God says.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “and neither do they know how to fear God.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Neither does there come into their hearts that they respect God.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Tzeltal: “Not the slightest do they lower their eyes from fear of God, it says.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
For the Old Testament quote, see Psalm 36:1.
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 3:23:
- Uma: “For we have all sinned, and we are not fit/worth to get/obtain a share in God’s glory [lit. God’s bigness of life].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “All have equally sinned, there is not even one of them praised by God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “All mankind have sinned and they do not count even as much as one fingernail toward the very high rank of God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Because all of us have sinned, and we cannot attain/reach God’s goodness.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “For all people have sin. No one comes out doing that good God wants that people do.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Tzeltal: “We all have sin. Equally we have not been able to equal the goodness of God.”
- Huehuetla Tepehua: “All men have sinned. There is no one really straight like God has measured it.”
- Isthmus Zapotec: “We have all of us sinned and now not one of us is worth anything in God’s sight.”
- Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “And all of them have committed sin and God can’t say a good word about any of them because all of them fail to become good.” (Source for this and three above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 3:26:
- Uma: “With the death of Yesus, it became evident/knowable that God is upright punishing sin, and he can also say that sinners who believe in Yesus are upright.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “But just the same God punishes if/when someone sins. Therefore he punished Isa as a substitute for us (incl.) even though he had not sinned. Because of this there is now his proof, that he is truly straight and that he considers straight everyone who trusts Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, it is necessary that there be punishment for the sins of mankind, therefore he punished Jesus. Because of that, we (incl.) know that the judgment of God is just. And because of this, it can be that He will consider righteous anybody who believes in Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “but now, he has shown that he didn’t just forget those sins but rather he included them in the sins that Jesus bore (lit. carried-on-his-shoulder) on the cross. Thus it can-be-seen that God is thoroughly righteous while-simultaneously it is also he who counts as righteous all people who believe in Jesus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “But now that Christ has died it is seen that all the sins of the people are paid. Now we are assured that God rightly judges, clearing the sins of all who believe in Jesus Christ.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Central Mazahua: “When Jesus Christ died, God showed us that he judges us well. He didn’t just allow the sins we do. But God will say he doesn’t any longer owe sin, the one who will plant Jesus Christ in his heart, because Jesus Christ paid for our sins.”
- Tzeltal: “Not until now God has made to be seen how with a straight heart he has now settled the matter of sin, in order that thus it will be known that his heart is straight and he makes straight the heart also of as many as believe in Jesus.” (Source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 4:5:
- Uma: “But our connection/relationship with God is not that. For it is not because of our behavior that God receives us. If we believe in God, even though we are wrong/guilty, he says we are straight in his sight just because of our faith in him.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “If/when a person does good so that, he says/thinks, God will forgive his sin and God will consider him straight, he is really wrong/mistaken. For it is not because of our (dual) good deeds but because of our (dual) trusting God, the one who forgives sins, that we (incl.) are forgiven and considered straight by God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And God’s considering us (incl.) righteous is not like that because it’s just His favor to us. The reason God considers us (incl.) to be righteous is not because we carried out what He told us to do, but rather only because we believed in Him who is able to make transgressors righteous.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “But if a person doesn’t work-for his salvation but rather believes in God that he is the one who counts a sinner as righteous, his faith is the reason God counts him as righteous.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “But God does not tell us that we must do work in order to clear our sins. Because he gives us the favor of clearing our sins. It is just that we believe what God says will happen.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Tzeltal: “But the one who believes in the one who sets free from their sins those who are sinners, it is now through his belief of heart that he will have his heart made straight, not through his good work which he has done.”
- Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “But we receive freely as a favor that which God does for us, and God is able to say that our hearts are straight when we still lack of becoming entirely good in our hearts. Well then, we believe in God, and on account of our belief, God reckons up that our hearts are straight.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
- Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999): “But a person having believed, instead of depending on his/her works, God who views sinful people that they are not guilty, that person on believing [a syntactic, object front-shift], God views him/her that s/he is right[eous] in his eyes.” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 112)
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 14:8:
- Uma: “Living or dying, we still/nonetheless follow the desires of the Lord. Living or dying, we are still the Lord’s portion.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “That’s why we (incl.) are alive, so that our (incl.) Leader Isa Almasi is praised. Likewise also when we (incl.) die. So-then if we (incl.) are alive or dead, we (incl.) belong to Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when we die, it is just the same also. And therefore, while we are still alive or whether we are already dead, we still belong to God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “but rather we want the Lord to be honored on account of our living and so also our dying. Therefore whether we are alive or whether we die, it is the Lord who owns us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Therefore whether we live or whether we die, it is the Lord in whose hand we are.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
- Highland Totonac: “And if we live, we shall only live longer in order that we should do that which the Lord God wants us to do. And if we die, we shall only die so that we shall be with the Lord God. And meanwhile that we yet live, also when we die, we always belong to the Lord God.”
- Tzeltal: “It is our Lord’s command how we are alive now, and it is again our Lord’s command what hour we die. Therefore although we are alive or although we die, it is our Lord who is in charge of us.”
- Yatzachi Zapotec: “While we are present living we are present in order to do like our Lord wants us to do. We will die when our Lord says we will die. Thus it is, living or dying, we are children of our Lord.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
