fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Matt. 25:9)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the foolish).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Matthew 25:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 25:9:

  • Uma: “‘The wise ones answered: ‘There won’t be enough [poor us (incl.)]. Go first and buy some at the oil seller.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But the wise girls answered, they said, ‘Perhaps it will not be enough for all of us. Go to the store and buy oil.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then the wise ones answered, ‘It cannot be because it is not enough for all of us, the kerosene that we brought. Go to the store so you can buy kerosene.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “”It’s not possible,’ said the thoughtful-ones answering. ‘Our (excl.) reserve will not suffice for us all. You go to the store to buy (some).'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘Friend, this really can’t be shared with you (implies insufficient). Sorry about that. Probably you’d better just go to where it can be bought, so that you will have what you can put into your lamps.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But the wise girls said in answer: ‘We can’t because if we give you the oil you need, then our lights won’t be able to burn. So now it is better that you go to where they sell oil and buy the oil you need,’ they said.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

Here, Jesus is addressing his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

Japanese benefactives (katte)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between. One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, katte (買って) or “buy” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Matthew 25:9

“No, indeed” of Good News Translation (New English Bible, New American Bible, New International Version “No”) represents an attempt to underscore the emphatic nature of the reply.

Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you may imply doubt on the part of the five wise young ladies, but this is not the intention of their remark. It is more clearly phrased in New English Bible: “No … there will never be enough for all of us.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has a somewhat stern rebuke: “Impossible. Then there would not be enough for us or for you.” A better possibility, a less stern reply, is “If we did that, there wouldn’t be enough oil for all of us.”

Go rather to the dealers (Good News Translation “Go to the store”) reflects accurately the Palestinian situation. On a festive occasion such as this, everyone in the village would have been awake, and it would have been possible to purchase oil even at midnight. Dealers can also be expressed as “the people who sell oil.”

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 .