justice

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is translated as “justice” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that describes the quality or principle of fairness, righteousness, and impartiality in treating other people. A literal back-translation of the signs are “FOLLOW(God is implied) ACTIONS, DECISIONS JUST-RIGHT”. A more idiomatic back-translation would be: “actions and decisions are right/fitting/just in accordance to God’s will.” The movement in the signs itself helps to indicate that this is a noun, not a verb. (Source: RuthAnna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Justice” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

complete verse (Acts 28:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 28:4:

  • Uma: “When the townspeople saw the snake hanging on Paulus’ hand, they said: ‘This man must be a murderer! Just look, although he did not die in the sea earlier, but the Anitu who Weighs/Judges will not let him live.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When the people of that island saw the snake fastened on Paul’s hand, they spoke-among-themselves. They said, ‘This man really has killed. Even though he has escaped from the sea, yet his fate could not be postponed/put-off. Just the same he will die.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when the people who were inhabitants there saw the snake hanging on the hand of Paul, they said to each other, ‘So, he is a murderer, because why was he not able to avoid his punishment? Because even though he wasn’t drowned in the sea, he’s going to die just the same.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When the inhabitants saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said-to-each-other, ‘Obviously of-course he is a murderer, because even though he escaped/survived the ocean, an unseen-one (i.e. god) has punished-him just the same, because there-now the snake has replaced (the ocean).'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When the people from there saw that deadly snake which had wound around Pablo’s hand/arm, they said, ‘Ah, this person really is a murderer of his fellowman. For look at this, even though he got free from the sea, he won’t indeed be allowed to live for he can’t run away from being punished-by-the-supernatural.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Acts 28:4

The natives is the same expression which occurs in verse 2 and may be rendered in some languages as “the local people,” “the people who lived on the island,” or “the people whose homes were there.” The choice of a term or phrase depends upon the normal manner in which a receptor language designates local inhabitants of a region.

This man must be a murderer is often rendered as “this man is surely a murderer” or “this man most certainly has killed someone.”

The word rendered Fate is the name of a god whom people worshiped, and must be translated so that readers get this meaning. The Good News Translation has tried to accomplish this by spelling the word with a capital F (see also Moffatt “Justice”; New English Bible “divine justice”). To render merely as “justice” (Revised Standard Version, An American Translation*, Phillips) seems inadequate. It may be necessary to qualify this as “the god Justice,” “a god called Justice,” or “a god called Retribution.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .