Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 4:21:
- Uma: “Yesus also said: ‘Would any of us take a lamp into a house and cover it with a pot or put it under a bed? Of course not. A lamp is put in its place so that it shines all over.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “So-then Isa said to them, ‘If you use-a-lamp, do you cover the lamp with a basin or do you place it under the bedstead? No. Instead you place it on it’s lampstand.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Jesus spoke to them again, he said, ‘If a person lights a lamp, it cannot be that he will put it inside an upside-down basket or that he puts it underneath a bed, because he puts it on a holder.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Jesus also said parabling, ‘Do-you-suppose there is someone who lights a lamp in-order-to then cover it with a basin or to put it underneath a bed? He sets-it-on-top (of something) indeed!” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Jesus continued speaking. He said, ‘Do you (sing.) light a lamp just so that you will cover it with a ganta measure or hide it under the bed? Surely not. Of course where it will be placed is on a proper stand/resting-place so that all will be made bright/clear.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
- San Mateo Del Mar Huave: “Also Jesus told another story. He told them, Who will close up a kerosene lamp in a big jar, or who would put a lamp under a bed if he wants to light up the inside of the house well? No, that lamp needs to be put up high to light the house well.” (In this culture lamps are sometimes placed under beds so the wind coming in through the roof won’t blow them out. Because of this, the purpose, “to light up the inside of the house well” had to be made explicit.) (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
