enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).

complete verse (Micah 7:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Micah 7:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “Because a son despises his father
    and a (young) daughter hates her mother.
    Also a daughter-in-law gets up
    to refuse (reciprocally) her mother-in-law.
    People who are relatives hate one another.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The son despises his father
    and the daughter treats her mother badly.
    The daughter-in-law rebels against her mother-in-law.
    People’s enemies are the people in their own households.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “For this time, a son is not respecting his father, a daughter is fighting-against her mother, and a daughter-in-law is fighting-against her mother-in-law. Therefore a member itself of a family of a man is her/his enemy.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Micah 7:6

The prophet expands on the theme of the breakdown of family relationships and gives three examples. Good News Translation begins this verse with In these times, which is simply a way of reminding the reader that Micah is talking about a particular period of time in this passage. These words do not actually appear in the Hebrew and do not need to be translated in just this way, but a translator should be careful that the translation does not sound as though these statements are true for all times and places. Verse 6 is describing the general situation at that time. It is because of this terrible situation that the prophet gave his advice in verse 5. The important thing is that translators find some way to show the correct relationship between the two verses. In some languages it may sound better to describe the general situation first (verse 6), and then to tell what people should do because of it (verse 5), so that the order of the verses will be turned around. If a translator decides to do this, the two verses together should be numbered “5-6.”

Good News Translation, sons treat their fathers like fools, here catches well the emotional effect. Treat … like fools means to show no respect to them, or to look down on them, as though they were nothing but fools. Many languages may have one word that carries the meaning of these three English words (it is only one word in Hebrew). The corresponding attitude among women means that daughters oppose their mothers. Both actions involve breaking the commandment to respect your father and mother (Exo 20.12; Deut 6.16), so that this kind of behavior is in direct disobedience to God.

The third example involves young women who quarrel with their mothers-in-law. Since a daughter-in-law normally joined her husband’s family, it would naturally be the wives rather than the husbands who had most opportunity for contact with their in-laws and disagreement with them. This is why sons-in-law and fathers-in-law are not mentioned. In Hebrew the same verb (translated “rises up against” in Revised Standard Version) refers to the relation between the daughter and the mother and between the daughter-in-law and the mother-in-law. For variety in style, Good News Translation has translated this as oppose in the first case, and as quarrel with in the second, but there is no need to try to follow these meanings exactly in another translation. The point is that these women, like the young men, are not showing proper respect to the senior members of their families. The breakdown of normal family life is so complete that a man’s enemies are the members of his own family.

This verse was quoted several times by Jesus in his teaching (Matt 10.35-36; Luke 12.53; see also Matt 10.21; Mark 13.12), but the wording is somewhat different from passage to passage, and the translator should not try to make the various forms of the text identical with each other.

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. et al. A Handbook on Micah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1978, 1982, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 7:6

7:6a–d

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

6a
For a son dishonors his father,

6b
a daughter rises against her mother,

6c
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

6d
A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

In this verse Micah gave the reason for his warnings to the people in 7:5 not to trust even the people close to them. It was because members of their own households were their enemies.

Micah gives three examples. In each example he describes a relationship between a member of a family to another member. In each relationship the younger member behaves in a way that dishonors and opposes the authority of an older family member. Each was an example of a serious offense in that society.

The examples use singular forms: “son,” “daughter,” “daughter-in-law,” etc. However, each phrase represents a large group of people: “sons,” “daughters,” “daughters-in-law,” etc. In some languages it will be more natural to use plural forms. For example:

Sons refuse to respect their own fathers, daughters rebel against their own mothers, daughters-in-law despise their mothers-in-law. (Contemporary English Version)

7:6a

For: This word introduces a reason for Micah’s warnings in 7:5. See the previous note for more explanation.

Some versions indicate the connection of this verse to the previous ones in a different way. For example, the Good News Translation refers back to the time period that is described in 7:1–5:

In these times sons treat their fathers like fools (Good News Translation)

Some other versions do not have an explicit connecting word or phrase. Instead they leave the connection implied. For example:

A son treats his father with contempt (God’s Word)

a son dishonors his father: In Hebrew, the word dishonors is related to the word for “fool.” In this clause the word means that the son insults and/or dishonors his father by treating him like a fool.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

A son will not honor his father (New Century Version)
-or-
For son insults father (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
For a son thinks his father is a fool (NET Bible)

7:6b

a daughter rises against her mother: In Hebrew, the phrase rises against is an expression that means “to rebel and be defiant.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

A daughter will turn against her mother (New Century Version)
-or-
daughter rebels against mother (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
a daughter challenges her mother (NET Bible)
-or-
The daughter defies her mother (New Living Translation (2004))

7:6c

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law: There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in this verse part. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 7:6b. For example:

6c and a daughter-in-law ⌊rises⌋ against her mother-in-law

The description of the expression “rises against” in 7:6b applies to this verse part also.

In that society a daughter-in-law normally joined her husband’s family. The daughter-in-law was expected to respect the authority of her mother-in-law. Here she did not show that respect.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

and a daughter-in-law will be against her mother-in-law (New Century Version)
-or-
The daughter-in-law defies her mother-in-law (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
a daughter-in-law rebels against her mother-in-law (God’s Word)

7:6d

A man’s enemies are the members of his own household: There are three main interpretations of the referent of the phrase members of his own household :

(1) The phrase refers to family members. For example:

People’s enemies are the members of their own families. (God’s Word)

(Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation, God’s Word, New Century Version)

(2) The phrase refers to all the males in a household. For example:

A man’s enemies are the men of his own household (New American Standard Bible)

(King James Version, New American Standard Bible)

(3) The phrase refers to the servants in a household. For example:

a man’s enemies are his own servants (NET Bible)

(NET Bible)

Some versions are ambiguous. They translate the word household literally which leaves implied the referents of the word. However, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It best fits the context of the three relationships described in this verse.

This line is probably a summary statement that refers to the relationships described in 7:6a–c.

enemies: This word refers to people hostile towards others, “foe.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

a person’s enemies will be members of his own family (New Century Version)
-or-
Your family is now your enemy (Contemporary English Version)

General Comment on 7:5–6

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the verses. For example, in reverse order 7:6 describes the situation first and 7:5 then gives advice on how to respond to the situation.

7:6 Sons disrespect their fathers, daughters rebel against their mothers, and daughters-in-law defy their mothers-in-law. Your enemies are in your own house! 7:5 So don’t trust anyone, not your friends and not even your own wife!

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