complete verse (Jeremiah 40:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 40:16:

  • Kupsabiny: “But Gedaliah son of Ahikam answered Johanan son of Kareah, ‘Do not do something like that! The words that you are saying about Ishmael are not true.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But Gedalia said to Johanan, ‘Do not do that. What you said concerning Ishmael is not true.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But Gedaliah said to Johanan, ‘No, I will not allow you to do that. I think that you are lying about Ishmael.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 40:16

You shall not do this thing: This is an order, “Don’t do it!”

You are speaking falsely of Ishmael: Good News Translation renders this as “What you are saying about Ishmael is not true!” New Revised Standard Version has “you are telling a lie about Ishmael.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .