envy / envious

The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is translated as “envy” or “envious” in most English translations is, according to Nida (1952, p. 134), translated into Tzeltal and Tabasco Chontal in the following manner:

“Envy is bred of covetousness and self-centeredness. The Tzeltals, who recognize a covetous man as having a ‘small heart,’ say that an envious person has ‘a greedy heart.’ ‘Small hearts’ and ‘greedy hearts’ go together, and the soul shrinks in direct proportion to its greediness. The envious person is never satisfied, for he can never keep step with his own insatiable ego.

“The Chontal Indians, living in the low, swampy delta land of Tabasco in southern Mexico, regard envy in a more subtle way. They say of the man who is envious of his neighbor, ‘He did not want to see his neighbor.’ This describes the end result of envy. People cannot bear to see others enjoying the privileges which they insist should be their own. The envious man has acquired such a self-directed stare that he cannot take his eyes off self to see another’s enjoyment.”

In Central Mazahua is is translated as “jealous of each other, their fellow people,” in Sayula Popoluca as “hate those who have something” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), in Matumbi as sukya, which means “envy” but also “hate” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext), and in Kupsabiny as “blackstomached” (source: Kupsabiny Back Translation).

complete verse (Matthew 20:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 20:15:

  • Uma: “May I not do according to my desire with my money? Why are you jealous of others if my heart is good to them?’ ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Is it that I do not rule over my money (i.e. can do with it as I please)? Perhaps you are jealous because I am generous?’ ‘” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Can it not be that I am the one to be in charge of my own money? Are you jealous of them because of my generosity?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Is it not perhaps my right to do what I want with my money? Are you maybe resentful/envious because I did not act-selfishly?’ ‘” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Don’t I have the right to do whatever I want to with my own possessions? Are you just envious of my good-relationship with my fellowman?”” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Do you rule me? Isn’t there permission that I determine by myself what I will do with my money? Are you envious of your fellow workers for the good I want to do them?’ said the field-owner.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 20:15

With what belongs to me is translated “with my own money” by Good News Translation, New English Bible, and New International Version. Since the preposition with may also mean “in” or “on,” the phrase may also mean “on my own land” or “on my own estate.” Nevertheless, this alternative possibility is not represented in any of the standard translations. It is possible to change the question form to a strong affirmation: “I have the right to do what I wish with my own money!” New English Bible does away with the question form: “Surely I am free to do what I like with my own money.”

Do you begrudge (so also An American Translation) translates an idiomatic expression (literally “is your eye evil”) which Good News Translation and New English Bible take to mean “are you jealous.” New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, and New American Bible each use the term “envious.” The same idiom is found in the list of sins in Mark 7.22. “Are you annoyed” is also acceptable.

Generosity (so also An American Translation; Good News Translation, Moffatt, New Jerusalem Bible “generous”) translates the adjective “good,” which here has the specific connotation of generosity. The question Or do you begrudge my generosity? may take the form of a statement: “You should not be jealous just because I am generous.” It may be necessary to indicate some recipient of generosity, as in “Are you jealous because I am generous toward someone else?” or “Does it make you jealous when I am generous to these people?”

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 .