The Greek that is translated as “weeping and gnashing of teeth” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with heulen und vor Schmerz mit den Zähnen klappern or “weep and chatter teeth in pain.”
Also in German, the idiom Heulen und Zähneklappern (originally: Heulen und Zähneklappen), which today is used to express anger and outrage, often in a humorous context (literally “weeping and chattering of teeth”), was first coined in 1522 in the German New Testament translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 79)
In Russian, this phrase (Плач и скрежет зубов — Plach i skrezhet zubov) is also widely-used as an idiom, although less often in a humorous content. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 45)
In French, the phrase pleurs et des grincements de dents is likewise used as an idiom. (Source: Muller 1991, p. 16)
Th Greek that is translated as “gnashing of teeth” or similar in English is translated as “gnashing their teeth in pain” in Estado de México Otomi for clarity purposes (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.).
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 8:12:
Uma: “Actually, it should be the Yahudi people who are fitting to become God’s people/subjects in his Kingdom. Yet many of them will be shut on the outside and thrown away into the darkness that is far from God. There they will continually cry and suffer/groan.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “But the people of the tribe of Isra’il, they should be the ones to enter the ruling/kingdom of God, they will not enter. They will be put outside in the darkness, driven away from God. They will wail there and gnash their teeth because of their regret.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But there will be also many descendants of Israel for whom God has prepared his kingdom, but they will be thrown into the darkness which is very far from where God lives. And they will yell, gnashing their teeth in great remorse.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But the Jews who should (but won’t) be included in God’s ruling, they will be thrown-away to the place of darkness, and they will cry-intensely while-simultaneously also clenching-their -teeth in their anger.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “But many Judio will be driven away by God, those who are-supposed-to-be his people but they have no belief in me. They will be made to go to the darkness/dark-place which is far from him. There is where there is crying without restraint which includes grinding of teeth.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “But concerning the people who should have entered into God’s hand and didn’t want to, they will be thrown into the deep darkness. There they will cry and gnash their teeth.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kuchi (御国) or “kingdom (of God)” in the referenced verses. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
Sons of the kingdom is a Semitic idiom meaning “people (here, the Jewish people) who belong to the kingdom.” In 9.15 “sons of the bride chamber” means wedding guests, and the Jews could also speak of “sons of the city,” “sons of the coming age,” and “a son of the Law.” Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition translates sons of the kingdom by “people who actually were appointed for God’s new world.” INCL renders “people who were supposed to have been God’s people”; Malay common language version has “people who were supposed to enjoy the blessings of God’s rule”; and Barclay has “those who were born to be members of the Kingdom.” Translators will find all of these useful models.
In place of the passive for will be thrown into, some Greek manuscripts have the active form, “will go into.” TC-GNT believes that the evidence favors the passive, and most all modern translations apparently accept this reading. New English Bible translates “will be driven out” (so also New American Bible), while Jerusalem Bible renders “will be turned out.” For those languages that do not normally use a passive construction, an agent must be supplied, as in “God will throw them” or “God will have his angels throw them.”
The outer darkness is also used elsewhere by Matthew as a description of the doom that awaits people who reject God (22.13; 25.30). The figure of crying and gnashing teeth appears in conjunction with the outer darkness in 25.30 and is used without the figure of darkness in 24.51. Luke 13.28-29 is a parallel to verses 11-12, only in reverse order.
The outer darkness, obviously a reference to hell, represents what it is like where God is not found. Translators should try to retain this image, saying “the dark world where God is not (or, does not go)” or “the dark place away from God’s rule.” Some have said “the great dark place of hell.” “Dark” or “darkness” may have to be rendered as “black” or “place with no light.”
Men means people, not just males.
Gnash their teeth is a favorite Matthean formula; see 13.42, 50; 22.13; 24.51; 25.30. Elsewhere it occurs only in Luke 13.28. It means to grind or strike the teeth together in rage or pain. It may be necessary to add “in great pain” to the phrase gnash their teeth if this expression is not known.
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 .
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