neighbor

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The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “neighbor” in English is rendered into Babatana as “different man,” i.e. someone who is not one of your relatives. (Source: David Clark)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun, it is rendered as “a person outside of your building,” in Tzeltal as “your back and side” (implying position of the dwellings), in Indonesian and in Tae’ as “your fellow-man,” in Toraja-Sa’dan it is “your fellow earth-dweller,” in Shona (translation of 1966) as “another person like you,” in Kekchí “younger-brother-older-brother” (a compound which means all one’s neighbors in a community) (sources: Bratcher / Nida and Reiling / Swellengrebel), in Mairasi “your people” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Mezquital Otomi as “fellow being,” in Tzeltal as “companion,” in Isthmus Zapotec as “another,” in Teutila Cuicatec as “all people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), and in most modern German translations as Mitmensch or “fellow human being” (lit. “with + human being”).

In Matt 19:19, Matt 22:39, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27, Luke 10:29 it is translated into Ixcatlán Mazatec with a term that refers to a person who is socially/physically near. Ixcatlán Mazatec also has a another term for “neighbor” that means “fellow humans-outsiders” which was not chosen for these passages. (Source: Robert Bascom)

In Noongar it is translated as moorta-boordak or “people nearby” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

complete verse (Exodus 22:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 22:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “that person should go before God and vow/swear that he is not the one who stole (it). And if its like that, he should not pay the owner.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “then the neighbor must take an oath before the Lord that he did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The one who-took-care must go to the presence of the LORD and take-an-oath that he has-no knowledge of what-happened. The owner must believe this, and he should- not -have- him -pay.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “then the two of them will make true talk in the Chief‘s name, and so the man who watched over the animal must make talk like this, ‘I swear (lit. truly above), I didn’t destroy my fellow companion’s tame animal, and I didn’t steal it either.’ And the owner of the animal must listen/consent to this talk. And so his fellow companion won’t pay back anything to him.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “one who safekeep for it [eye], he must swear in front of Yahweh that he not it steal. Owner of animal, let him hear his oath, and the other, let him not (imp.) it give.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “Then the person who was taking care of the animal must swear/solemnly declare, knowing that God is listening, that he did not steal the animal. If he did not steal it the owner of the animal must accept/believe that the other person is telling the truth, and the other person will not have to pay anything back to the owner.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 22:11

An oath by the LORD, literally “an oath of Yahweh,” means to swear in the name of Yahweh, or “by Yahweh” (New Jerusalem Bible). Shall be between them both is quite literal. It does not necessarily mean that both men shall take the oath. More likely “the man in custody of it [the animal] shall swear an oath” (Translator’s Old Testament). New American Bible has “the custodian shall swear by the LORD.” Good News Translation misses the point of swearing in the personal name of Yahweh. A possible rendering (see verse 8) is “make a strong statement with God as his witness.”

To see whether he has not put his hand to his neighbor’s property is identical to the same phrase in verse 8. And the owner shall accept the oath is literally “and its owner shall take,” without stating what he is to take. This may mean either that “the owner shall accept the loss” (Good News Translation) or that “the owner must accept the oath” (New American Bible). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “the owner must acquiesce.” New Jerusalem Bible has “the owner will take what remains,” but this meaning is unlikely. And he shall not make restitution is literally “and he will not pay back.” The he, of course, refers not to the owner but to “the other man” (Good News Translation), or “the man who had custody” (Translator’s Old Testament) of the animal.

An alternative translation model in languages that must use direct speech is:

• If you swear [or, make a strong statement] with me [Yahweh] as your witness, saying, “I did not steal the other man’s animal,” the owner must accept your statement, and you do not have to replace the animal.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .