complete verse (Luke 16:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 16:3:

  • Noongar: “The worker said to himself, ‘The boss will send me away. I will not have any work place. What will I do? I am not strong enough to dig holes, and I am ashamed if I must beg.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “‘That servant pondered, he said: ‘What shall I do? My boss will fire me from my work. I am not strong enough to hoe. I am ashamed to beg.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The servant said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is going to send me away. I am not strong enough to work on the land and I am also ashamed to ask for money/to beg.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And this servant thought, ‘So I’m going to be removed from this work of mine. What’s the best thing for me to do? Because as for me, I can no longer do heavy work like digging, and I’m ashamed to beg for money.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Then that employee said to himself, ‘What perhaps will I do now, because here-now my master is removing me from my work? I am not able to shovel and I’m also ashamed of course to beg.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When the manager heard, he said in his mind/inner-being, ‘So apparently, the managership will be removed from me by my master. What will I do now? I am not able to do heavy work like digging. Also I am ashamed to beg to be given to.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 16:3

Exegesis:

eipen de en heautō ho oikonomos ‘the manager said to (lit. ‘in’) himself,’ i.e. debated inwardly.

ti poiēsō ‘what shall I do,’ i.e. ‘what am I to do,’ i.e. with a view to his future, not with regard to the rendering of his account.

hoti ho kurios mou aphaireitai tēn oikonomian ap’ emou ‘since my master is taking the stewardship from me.’ hoti means here ‘since,’ ‘now that,’ as the clause refers to causes which are already known. For kurios cf. on 1.6. oikonomia refers here and in v. 4 to the function, or, the job, in v. 2 to the way in which the function is performed.

skaptein ouk ischuō ‘I cannot dig,’ i.e. ‘I am not strong enough to dig,’ a proverbial saying, indicating that one cannot do heavy manual labour.

epaitein aischunomai ‘I am ashamed to beg,’ i.e. to be a professional beggar, obviously the alternative for one who cannot earn his living with his own hands.

aischunomai ‘to be ashamed,’ ‘to be too proud to,’ with following infinitive.

Translation:

For said to himself see 3.8; for master see on “Lord” in 1.6, sub (a).

Is taking the stewardship (or, this/my work) away from me, or, ‘dismisses (lit. causes-to-cease) me as steward’ (Balinese, similarly Tzeltal), ‘will let-me-go’ (Ekari, Tae’ 1933), ‘will remove me from (my) steward’s duties’ (Thai 1967, similarly Shona 1966), ‘has decided that I can no longer be his manager, or, cannot continue to manage his property.’

I am not strong enough to dig, or, continuing, as it were, the initial question, ‘Dig? I have not the strength for it’ (Bible de Jérusalem). Dig, or, ‘hoe’ (Indonesian languages, Bible de Jérusalem); some specification may be required, e.g. ‘dig in the fields,’ ‘till the soil.’

I am ashamed to beg, i.e. begging will cause me shame, ‘beg? I would be ashamed’ (Bible de Jérusalem); or, worded reversely, “I am … too proud to beg” (New English Bible). Cf. also “shame” in 13.17. To beg, or, ‘to ask for money/gifts,’ ‘to ask-for alms (cf. 11.41), or, pity’ (Bahasa Indonesia, Tae’), ‘to go (around) begging’ (Sranan Tongo).

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.