comfort, encourage

The Greek that is translated in English as “encourage” or “comfort” is translated in Enlhet as “become calm of the innermost.” “Innermost” or valhoc is a term that is frequently used in Enlhet to describe a large variety of emotions or states of mind (for other examples see here). (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. )

In Bacama it is translated as “(to) cool stomach” (source: David Frank in this blog post ), in Yatzachi Zapotec as “cause hearts to mature,” and in Isthmus Zapotec “hearts may lie quiet” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).

See also Seat of the Mind / Seat of Emotions and encourage.

complete verse (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Thessalonians 5:11:

  • Uma: “So, relatives, fire-up one another and strengthen each other’s hearts, like you are doing now.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore encourage each other and help each other as you already do.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And since you know this, encourage each other and strengthen the faith of each one of you just like you are now doing.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore continue the way you’ve been comforting-each-other and helping-each-other which continually-strengthens your faith.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore continue that which you are doing now, which is making happy the mind/inner-being of one another and mutually-helping by strengthening the believing/obeying of one another also.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Let your hearts be encouraged, and strengthen one another, just like you do now.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5:11

So refers back directly to verses 9-10, but also more generally to all the encouragement Paul has been giving his readers throughout the chapter, just as so then in 4.18 refers back to the entire section 4.13-17.

One another … one another. No doubt for stylistic reasons, Paul uses two different expressions in Greek, but they have the same meaning, and therefore need not be distinguished in translation. Help is a literal equivalent for Paul’s metaphorical “build one another up” (cf. Jerusalem Bible “keep on strengthening one another”). Both verbs, encourage and help, suggest continued action over a period of time, and this is made explicit by the following words, just as you are now doing (cf. 4.10). This clause may be rendered as “that is, of course, just what you are now doing,” or “you are, of course, doing just that.”

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .