grain

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “grain” (or: “corn”) is translated in Kui as “(unthreshed) rice.” Helen Evans (in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) explains: “Padddy [unthreshed rice] is the main crop of the country and rice the staple diet of the people, besides which [grain] is unknown and there is no word for it, and it seemed to us that paddy and rice in the mind of the Kui people stood for all that corn meant to the Jews.” “Paddy” is also the translation in Pa’o Karen (source: Gordon Luce in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 153f. ).

Other translations include: “wheat” (Teutila Cuicatec), “corn” (Lalana Chinantec), “things to eat” (Morelos Nahuatl), “grass corn” (wheat) (Chichimeca-Jonaz) (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), “millet” (Lambya) (source: project-specific notes in Paratext), “food” (Nyamwezi) (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)or ntimumma lujia / “seeds for food” (Lokạạ — “since Lokạạ does not have specific terms for maize and rice that can be described as grains”) (source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

Mark 4:26-29 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 4:26-29 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:


Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

Jesus also told a parable. What is the Kingdom of God like? What is it like? Jesus told an example. A man came into a field and sowed seed. Then he left and went about his business. He sleeps at night and goes about his business during the day, not caring how his seeds grow in the field. Meanwhile the seeds grow, the ears appear, the whole field changes, becomes yellow, it is time to harvest. This man comes and sees that it is time to harvest, then he takes a sickle and cuts off all the ears in the field, he harvests. That’s what the Kingdom of God is like.

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

Иисус еще рассказал притчу. Какое оно, Царство Бога? На что оно похоже? Иисус рассказал пример. В поле пришел человек и посеял семена. Потом он ушел и занимался своими делами. Ночью он спит, днем занимается своими делами и не заботится о том, как растут его семена в поле. Между тем семена вырастают, появляются колосья, все поле меняется, становится желтым, уже пора собирать урожай. Этот человек приходит, и видит, что пора собирать урожай, тогда он берет серп и срезает все колосья на поле, собирает урожай. Вот на это и похоже Царство Божье.

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

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Mark 4:30-32 in Russian Sign Language >>

Mark 4:26-33a in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 4:26-33a 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, en la tierra de un campo un hombre sembró semillas, y cuando estaba listo el hombre se fue. ¿El hombre sabe hacer las plantas? No, él no sabe.

Las semillas sólas hacen la planta crecer, el hombre duerme y al día siguiente se despierta, y duerme y al día siguiente etc. La planta crece y después el hombre viene y ve que está listo y cosecha.

Eso parece a uds, la gente que cree que v a estar junto con Dios en su reino.

Oigan, otro ejemplo, dejame ver, mira, hay muchas diferentes semillas, pero la más pequeña es la mostaza, pero cuando cae en la tierra la planta crece fuerte y vence las otras plantas, y en la planta los pájaros pueden sentarse en sus nidos.

Eso es parecido a uds que creen en Dios, que ya están junto con Él en su reino.”

Jesús siguió a contar otras historias y muchos diferentes ejemplos.


Jesus said: “Another example, in de ground of a field a man sowed seeds and when he was ready the man went away. Does the man know how to make the plants? No, he does not know.

“The seeds on their own make the plant grow, the man sleeps and wakes up the next day, and sleeps and the next day… and so on. The plant grows and afterwards the man comes and sees that it is ready and harvests.

“This is like you people who believe that you will be together with God in his kingdom.

“Listen, another example, let me see, look here, there are many different kinds of seeds but the smallest is the mustard. But when it falls in the soil a strong plant grows, stronger than other plants, and in it birds can sit on their nests.

“This is like you people who believe in God who are already together with him in his kingdom.”

Jesus went on to tell other stories and many different examples.

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

<< Mark 4:26-33a in Mexican Sign Language
Mark 4:33b-34 in Mexican Sign Language >>

complete verse (Mark 4:28)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 4:28:

  • Uma: “From the land itself its fruit appears. First the leaves and stalk appear, after that the-head-forms, until it fruits [lit., has-contents].” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For the seed sprouts by itself and bears fruit. First the shoots (tuglus) then the head (forms) (betteng) and then the ear-comes-out (bukbus).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For the earth is the means by which his plants sprout. The plant sprouts, then the leaf comes out, then the fruit comes out, and then it ripens.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because the plants just grow anyway. They sprout, then the grain-heads-develop and then the kernels-come-out (stages in growth of rice).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For as for soil/ground, that’s what causes whatever plant to sprout and bear fruit. Of course it will grow and then bear fruit with long heads full of grain.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Mark 4:28

Exegesis:

automatē (only here and in Acts 12.10 in the N.T.) ‘of itself’: of something which happens without visible cause.

karpophorei (cf. 4.20) ‘it bears fruit,’ ‘it produces,’ ‘it yields a crop.’

chorton (6.39) ‘grass,’ ‘hay’: also refers to stalks of grain in their early grass-like stages (cf. Translator’s New Testament “green shoot”).

stachun (cf. 2.23) ‘head’ or ‘ear’ (of grain).

plērēs (8.19) ‘full’: here in the sense of ‘full grown,’ ‘mature,’ ‘ripe.’

sitos (only here in Mark) ‘wheat’ or ‘grain.’

Translation:

In some languages the relationship of the earth to the production of vegetation is quite easily expressed, e.g. ‘the earth is the mother of the seed’ (Tzeltal), but in others one cannot say that the ‘earth’ (which may mean only ‘the dirt’) produces plants of itself. In such instances one can say ‘plants come from the ground’ or ‘plants grow out of the earth’ (Kekchi).

The first three stages of growth are variously described in different languages, e.g. ‘first the leaf, then the seed-container and then the grain’ (Southern Subanen), and ‘first the grass, then the green wheat, and then the ripe wheat’ (Mitla Zapotec).

Ear must be altered in many languages, e.g. ‘eyes of the grain’ (Shilluk), referring to the tender grain in formation, and ‘heads of the grain,’ denoting the ripened grain.

In this context it is not necessary to try to specify the details of the growth of wheat, especially in areas where such plants are not known. One can just as appropriately use Indian corn (Kekchi, Highland Totonac, Copainalá Zoque).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 4:28

4:28a

All by itself the earth produces a crop: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as All by itself the earth produces a crop is literally: “The soil on its own bears fruit.” This expression indicates that the soil causes the seeds to become plants and causes them to grow. The man does not help the soil in this process.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

The soil itself makes the plants grow and bear fruit (Good News Bible)
-or-
The land on its own causes the seeds to become plants and mature

4:28b–c

first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within: These events describe the steps in the overall growth of the grain plant mentioned in 4:28a.

The Berean Standard Bible indicates the connection between 4:28a and 4:28b–c with the long dash (—) at the end of 4:28a. It does not make 4:28b–c a complete sentence. Other English versions begin a new sentence here. For example, the God’s Word says:

First the green blade appears, then the head, then the head full of grain.

Connect 4:28b–c to 4:28a in a way that is natural in your language.

4:28b

first the stalk: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the stalk is literally “grass.” (Since wheat plants are similar to grass, the young plants look like grass at first.) In this context, this word refers to the first thing that grows out of the ground from the seed. This is called the “shoot,” “blade,” or “stalk.”

There is no verb here in the Greek. If you translate this as a sentence, you should use a verb that refers to a young plant coming out of the ground. Here are some examples:

first it grows stalks/shoots
-or-
First the green blade appears (God’s Word)
-or-
First a leaf blade pushes through (New Living Translation)

the head: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as head refers to the beginning of the head of grain (4:28c). Use a proper expression for that meaning. Here are some examples:

the pod
-or-
the top

It may be more natural in your language to include the stalk upon which the head forms. For example:

the stalk and the head

4:28c

grain that ripens within: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as grain that ripens within refers to a fully-formed head of grain. At this point, the individual grains/kernels have grown. The wheat or grain is almost ready for harvest.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

the head full of grain (Good News Bible)
-or-
the full kernel in the head (New International Version)
-or-
mature grain in the head

There is no verb in the Greek here. If you translate this phrase as a sentence, you should include a verb similar to the verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “produces” in 4:28a. For example:

and finally the grain ripens (New Living Translation)
-or-
the kernels/seeds develop/mature

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