worry

The Greek and Hebrew that are translated as “worry” or “anxious” in English are translated in Navajo as “my mind is killing me.” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 24)

Nida (1952, p. 124) also gives other examples:

“The Piro in Peru use almost the same idiom when they say that a worried man is ‘one who is hard chased.’ The worried person is like a pursued animal in the forest trying to elude the hunter. The impenetrable jungle of the future, the failing strength, and the exhaustion of doubt all press hard upon the soul. And one’s heart seems to fail and even disappear. This is the very phrase employed by the Tzeltal Indians in the rugged mountains of southern Mexico. They describe ‘worry’ by the words ‘their hearts are gone.'”

See also anxious / worried about many things and worries/cares of the world/this age.

complete verse (Luke 12:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 12:26:

  • Noongar: “If you can’t do this small thing, why worry about other things? ” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “So, if you are not able to do that small thing, why do you have so much thinking/worry?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If you can’t do even a little thing like this, why do you worry about the others?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And if, by means of your troubling, you cannot do anything about even this very small thing to do, what’s the use of your being troubled with other things?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore if you aren’t capable of even one hour, you shouldn’t be worrying about other things you need.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well if you can’t do such a little thing as that, well why are you agitating your mind/thinking about other things?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 12:26

Exegesis:

ei oun oude elachiston dunasthe ‘if then you cannot (do) even a very small, or, insignificant thing.’ The reference to what precedes is brought out in “as small a thing as that” (Revised Standard Version). The rendering ‘the smallest thing’ appears to be too emphatic. The clause is conditional in form but inferential in meaning.

peri tōn loipōn ‘about the rest,’ i.e. about physical necessities.

Translation:

If then you …, preferably, ‘since you…,’ ‘thus it is certain that you…,’ cf. the remark on the “if”-clause in 11.20.

As small a thing as that, or, ‘such a small thing,’ ‘such a trifle’ (Javanese).

The rest, or, ‘the other things,’ “anything else” (Phillips).

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.