landowner

The Greek that is translated as “landowner” or similar in English is translated in Low German idiomatically as Mann, de harr Hus un Hoff or “man who owns a house and a farm” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).

complete verse (Matthew 20:11)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 20:11:

  • Uma: “‘When they saw their wages, they grumbled about the owner of the field, they said:” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When they received their wages they grumbled against the owner of the land,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when they were receiving it, they were disgruntled, and they said to the man who had caused them to work.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore they grumbled to the one-who-had-them -work, saying,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Having received it, it wasn’t acceptable to them. They said to that owner,” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “They took their wages and were angry toward the field-owner.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 20:11

And on receiving is more naturally “When they received” or “When the owner gave them.” In Greek receiving has no expressed object, but most English translations supply it (so New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible); Good News Translation has “took their money.”

Grumbled may legitimately be translated “started grumbling” (Good News Translation) or “began to grumble” (Barclay). “Complained” or “criticized” are other words for grumbled.

Householder refers to the owner of the vineyard who has hired the men to work for him (see Matthew 20.1); Good News Translation, New English Bible, and An American Translation have “employer,” New American Bible prefers “owner,” and in New Jerusalem Bible and New International Version “landowner” is used.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .