Following are a number of back-translation of 3John 1:1:
Yatzachi Zapotec: “I in my old age am writing to you dear Gayo. Truly I love you.”
Eastern Highland Otomi: “I am the Old-Man Leader, I am sending this paper to you, dear Gaius, loved one. And also I love you in regards to the true Word which we (dual) believe.”
Isthmus Zapotec: “I am an old man. I am writing this letter to a friend of mine, (whose) name is Gayo, whom I truly love.”
Garifuna: “I, an elderly person, write to my friend the one named Gayo (necessary to avoid the connotation of writing to a rooster), the one whom I love. I love you with all my heart (genuine love).”
Source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.
The Greek that is translated as “that you may be mature and complete” or similar in English is translated in Alekano as “your life will become whole,” in Rincón Zapotec as “finish becoming perfect,” and in Eastern Highland Otomi as “that is what will cause our hearts to be mature.”
(Source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “but ask in faith, never doubting” or “but ask him without doubting” or similar in English is translated as “but when we ask Him to teach us, we must believe that He is listening-obeying us and we must not doubt” in Yatzachi Zapotec and as “but we must think one thing when we sincerely ask for understanding, and not think he won’t give it to us, we’ll think we will be given understanding” in Eastern Highland Otomi. (Source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.)
See also doubt.
The Greek that is translated as §the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” or similar in English is translated in the following ways ion other languages:
- Tzotzil: “the lights, their shiningness changes; their light can be shaded. Not thus our Father God.”
- Eastern Highland Otomi: “But God isn’t like the lights he made, sometimes they lack light when there is a turning.”
- Central Mazahua: “But he doesn’t change his thinking like those things that are in heaven change their road. He is always the same gracious person.”
(Source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “the perfect law, the law of liberty” or similar in English is translated in Central Mazahua as “God has set us free so that we are able to obey his word,” in Rincón Zapotec as “the law of God which is perfect and is able to cause us to be saved,” in Mezquital Otomi as “God’s new word frees us in order that our life will be good,” and in Eastern Highland Otomi as “the new word which is like a law strengthens our hearts so that with pleasure we will obey it.”
(Source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.)
The Greek that is translated as “(small) rudder” in English is translated in Yatzachi Zapotec as “(a small) stick,” in Mezquital Otomi as “a (little) metal,” in Rincón Zapotec as “(little) wooden hand” (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.), in Eastern Highland Otomi as “thing that is in the water that steers the boat,” in Teutila Cuicatec as “paddle that steered the ship” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), and in Tetelcingo Nahuatl as “board to steer” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.).
See also ship and anchor.
The Greek that is translated as “curse” in English” is translated as “with our mouth we blaspheme (our fellowmen)” in Mezquital Otomi), as “speak evil of” in Sayula Popoluca, and as “ask for a calamity for” in Eastern Highland Otomi (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.).
See also cursed, curse (noun), and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.
The Greek that is translated as “Can a fig tree yield olives or a grapevine figs?” in English is translated as “What about orange trees? Can also guaves hang there? Or what about a blackberry bush? Do oranges hang there?” in Eastern Highland Otomi and “Think also if an apple tree can give peaches, if an avocado tree can give apples” in Tzotzil) (source: Ellis Deibler in Notes on Translation July, 1967, p. 5ff.).
In Low German, the first part is translated as “can a fig tree yield oranges” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).
