basket, bushel, measure

The Greek that is translated in English with “basket” or “bushel” or “measure” is translated into Avaric with an existing term: “sah.” “To the European reader it is not clear how a lamp can be put under a measure, since such a reader has only a vague idea what this “measure” (modios in the original Greek) must look like. For the Avar, again, there is no problem here: everybody knows the word sah, which means exactly the same as the Greek modios.” (Source: Magomed-Kamil Gimbatov and Yakov Testelets in The Bible Translator 1996, p. 434ff. )

Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket (...) and not on the lampstand?

The Greek that is transated as “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket (…) and not on the lampstand?” or similar in English is translated in Bahnar as “Do I ever bring in a lamp…? Don’t I put it on a lamp stand?” because in Bahnar illustrative metaphors occur in first person singular. (Source: Larson 1998, p. 250)

In Seri, the first part is translated as “A lamp is not lighted and … placed under an inverted basket.” Here, the implication that the lamp is lit had to be made explicit, as did the fact that the basket was inverted before placing it over the lamp. (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

lamp

The Greek that is translated as “lamp” in English is translated in Noongar as karla-maat or “firestick” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

bed

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “bed” or similar in English is translated in Noongar as maya-ngwoorndiny or “bark sleeping” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also mat, bed.

put a lamp under a bushel basket

The now commonly-used German idiom ein Licht unter den Scheffel, which means to be excessively humble (literally “put a light under the bushel”), was made popular in 1522 in the German New Testament translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 85)

Since the German term Scheffel (“bushel”) is outdated and not widely known anymore, it was replaced in a 1975 revision of the Luther New Testament with Eimer (“bucket”). In the public reception this was seen as such an egregious error of judgment that that whole version was referred to mockingly as the Eimertestament (“bucket testament”) and withdrawn two years after its release. This choice of wording was not the only reason why that particular revision did not succeed. The revision was done mostly by linguists rather than theologians and aimed to have a highly communicative and modern style, which resulted in a loss of the specific style of the Luther Bible, something that the German church and public were not willing to accept. A more conservative revision followed in 1984 and the last revision was published in 2017. The 2017 edition actually restored some of Luther’s phrasing and terminology that had been replaced by earlier versions as long as they still reflected the meaning of the original Greek or Hebrew text.

In Latvian, the phrase turēt sveci zem pūra or “keep a candle under the bushel” has become part of the standard lexicon, going back to the 1682 New Testament translation by Ernst Glück (source: Pēteris Vanags in Glück’s landmark translation of the Bible into Latvian ).

Mark 4:21-23 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 4:21-23 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:


Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

Jesus continued to teach:

— Here the room is dark. They light a lamp. Do they hide the lamp? Or cover it with something? No, on the contrary. The lamp is placed on a high place so that it illuminates everything around it.

If there is some secret business, no one around knows anything about it, but the time will come, that the business will be revealed and everyone will see. If you think about it, you will understand.

Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):

Иисус продолжал учить:

— Вот в комнате темно. Зажигают светильник. Разве светильник прячут? Или закрывают чем-нибудь? Нет, наоборот. Светильник ставят на высокое место, чтобы он освещал все вокруг.

Если есть какое-то тайное дело, никто вокруг о нем ничего не знает, но придет время, это дело откроется, и все увидят. Если вы поразмыслите, то вы поймете.

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

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Mark 4:24-25 in Russian Sign Language >>

Mark 4:21-25 in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 4:21-25 into Mexican Sign Language with back-translations into Spanish and English underneath:


© La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

Retrotraducciones en español (haga clic o pulse aquí)

Jesús dijo”: “Otro ejemplo, una lámpara de aceite, ¿pondrías una tapa encima de ella? o ¿la ocultas abajo de la cama? No, la pones encima y la luz se difunde para que la gente pueda ver.

Eso es como algo que es un secreto ahora, pero después la gente lo descubre y entiende.

Uds necesitan intentar a descubrirlo, yo les advierto: algunas personas ponen poca atención y entienden poco, otras personas ponen atención y entienden y Dios les da más entendimiento. De otras personas que adentro no entienden, pero hacen como si entienden, Dios les quitará el entendimiento y no aumenta nada porque no entienden nada.”


Jesus said: “Another example, an oil lamp, would you put a cover on it or hide it underneath a bed? No, you put it high for the light to shine so that the people can see.

“This is like something that is a secret now but later the people will find it out and understand.

“You need to try to figure it out, I warn you: some people pay little attention and understand little, other people pay attention and understand, and God gives them more understanding. From other people who inside don’t understand but act as if they understand God will take away any growth in understanding, because they understand nothing.”

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

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Mark 4:26-33a in Mexican Sign Language >>

complete verse (Mark 4:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 4:21:

  • Uma: “Yesus also said: ‘Would any of us take a lamp into a house and cover it with a pot or put it under a bed? Of course not. A lamp is put in its place so that it shines all over.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then Isa said to them, ‘If you use-a-lamp, do you cover the lamp with a basin or do you place it under the bedstead? No. Instead you place it on it’s lampstand.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus spoke to them again, he said, ‘If a person lights a lamp, it cannot be that he will put it inside an upside-down basket or that he puts it underneath a bed, because he puts it on a holder.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus also said parabling, ‘Do-you-suppose there is someone who lights a lamp in-order-to then cover it with a basin or to put it underneath a bed? He sets-it-on-top (of something) indeed!” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus continued speaking. He said, ‘Do you (sing.) light a lamp just so that you will cover it with a ganta measure or hide it under the bed? Surely not. Of course where it will be placed is on a proper stand/resting-place so that all will be made bright/clear.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • San Mateo Del Mar Huave: “Also Jesus told another story. He told them, Who will close up a kerosene lamp in a big jar, or who would put a lamp under a bed if he wants to light up the inside of the house well? No, that lamp needs to be put up high to light the house well.” (In this culture lamps are sometimes placed under beds so the wind coming in through the roof won’t blow them out. Because of this, the purpose, “to light up the inside of the house well” had to be made explicit.) (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)