complete verse (Luke 19:33)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 19:33:

  • Noongar: “They began untying the donkey. The people who owned the donkey, they asked, ‘Why are you untying the donkey?'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “While they were untying that donkey, its owner asked: ‘Why are you untying that donkey?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “While they were untying the child of the donkey, it’s owner said to them, ‘Hoy, why are you untying that child of a donkey?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when they untied that donkey, the owner of it said, ‘Why are you untying that?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Upon their untying its rope (lit. tie), the owner said, ‘Why are you untying that?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Just as they were untying the tether, the owners said, ‘Why are you untying the tether of that asno?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 19:33 – 19:34

Exegesis:

luontōn de autōn ton pōlon ‘as they were untying the colt,’ describing the situation as presumed by Jesus, cf. on v. 31.

hoi kurioi autou ‘its owners,’ cf. on 1.6 (1).

(V. 34) hoti cf. on v. 31.

Translation:

The first part of v. 33 may be rendered better as two coordinated sentences, e.g. ‘they untied (or, began to untie) the colt, but then the owners said to them.’

(V. 34) The Lord has need of it. The disciples now actually say what in v. 31 Jesus told them to say; the discourse structure is one degree less intricate. The wording should echo v. 31d as closely as possible.

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.