compassion

The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is typically as “compassion” in English is translated in various ways:

  • Shilluk´: “cries in the soul” (source: Nida, 1952, p. 132)
  • Q’anjob’al: “crying in one’s stomach” (source: Newberry and Kittie Cox in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 91ff. )
  • Aari: “has a good stomach” (=”sympathetic”) (source: Loren Bliese)
  • Una: “has a big liver” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 471)
  • Uma: “heart is moved (lit., far-away)” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Chitonga: “to have the intestines twisting in compassion/sorrow for someone” (kumyongwa) (source: Wendland 1987, p. 128f.)

See also pain-love, moved with compassion (pity)Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling.”

complete verse (Deuteronomy 13:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 13:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “Do not listen to words like those. Do not spare those people,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “do not listen to such seductive talk! You are to have no compassion on him, and do not hide him! Do not protect him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “you (sing.) never be-carried-away or listen to him. You (plur.) do- not -pity him or take-side (with him).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Do not do what they suggest. Do not even listen to them. Do not even be merciful to them, and do not keep secret what they have done.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 13:8

There are five verbs in this verse to emphasize the need to reject any such inducement to idol worship.

Yield to him: that is, agree to do what he wants.

Listen to him: pay attention to what he says.

Your eye pity him: show no mercy, be pitiless (see also 7.16). In many languages there will be suitable figurative expressions; for example, “Do not have warm insides towards him” or “Don’t let your heart [or, liver] feel towards him.”

Spare him: this means the same as the previous verb; the two can be combined: “show him no pity or mercy.”

Conceal: this means to cover up what was done, not to tell others about it. New Jerusalem Bible renders it “conceal his guilt.” It does not mean to physically hide the person, but to keep secret what he has done. This is wrong; that person’s evil deed must be exposed and punished.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .