The Greek that is typically transliterated in English as “Satan” is transliterated in Kipsigis as “Setani.” This is interesting because it is not only a transliteration that approximates the Greek sound but it is also an existing Kipsigis word with the meaning of “ugly” and “sneaking.” (Source: Earl Anderson in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 85ff. )
In Morelos Nahuatl it is translated as “envious one” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.) and in Tibetan: bdud (བདུད།), lit. “chief devil” (except in Rev. 20:2, where it is transliterated) (source: gSungrab website ).
Apali: “God’s one with talk from the head” (“basically God’s messenger since head refers to any leader’s talk”) (source: Martha Wade)
Michoacán Nahuatl: “clean helper of God” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
Noongar: Hdjin-djin-kwabba or “spirit good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Wè Northern (Wɛɛ): Kea ‘a “sooa or “the Lord’s soldier” (also: “God’s soldier” or “his soldier”) (source: Drew Maust)
Iwaidja: “a man sent with a message” (Sam Freney explains the genesis of this term [in this article ): “For example, in Darwin last year, as we were working on a new translation of Luke 2:6–12 in Iwaidja, a Northern Territory language, the translators had written ‘angel’ as ‘a man with eagle wings’. Even before getting to the question of whether this was an accurate term (or one that imported some other information in), the word for ‘eagle’ started getting discussed. One of the translators had her teenage granddaughter with her, and this word didn’t mean anything to her at all. She’d never heard of it, as it was an archaic term that younger people didn’t use anymore. They ended up changing the translation of ‘angel’ to something like ‘a man sent with a message’, which is both more accurate and clear.”)
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) is used as in mi-tsukai (御使い) or “messenger (of God).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 11:14:
Uma: “But we (incl.) aren’t surprised by their behavior, for the King of Evil-ones also changes-himself to be like an angel who brings light.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “This their doing does not cause wonder/is not amazing because even the leader of demons changes himself into the appearance of an angel.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “This doesn’t surprise me because even Satan, he can change his form into what is like a very bright angel of God which comes from Heaven.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “We ought not to be surprised-at that, because even Satanas, he can appear as if he is a dazzling angel of God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “It’s not necessary to be amazed at this deception of theirs, because they are just being-the-same as their boss who is Satanas. For as for this Satanas, even though he is the epitome of evil, he is deceiving people so that they will regard him as an angel coming from the light-place where God is.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “It shouldn’t cause people to be surprised about this word which I say. Because the devil himself can change his appearance, becoming like an angel of heaven.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Paul apparently is alluding to Jewish traditions outside the Hebrew scriptures that tell of Satan disguising himself as a shining angel when he deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden. On Satan see comments on 2.11.
And no wonder that these false apostles behave in deceptive ways and disguise themselves to be what they are not; even Satan, who is their master (verse 15), behaved in a similar manner. Some languages may require a full verb phrase at this point: “It is no surprise that they do this!” or “we should not be astonished that this happens.”
Disguises himself: or, as in the previous verse, “tries to make himself look like…” or “tricks people into thinking he is….”
An angel of light: the relationship between the words angel and of light may be that the angel (or, messenger) brings light. But more likely Paul’s thought reflects Jewish traditions in which Satan appears in the form of a shining angel in order to deceive people. The words of light function as an adjective, that is, “a shining angel” (An American Translation). Most translations keep the form of the Greek, angel of light. Some omit the words of light (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), since angels by nature shine with light. Translators should translate the words of light. An American Translation is a good model, since it expresses clearly in English the Semitic influence on the Greek grammar here.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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®).
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.