God forbid

The now commonly-used English idiom “God forbid” was first coined in 1560 in the Geneva Bible. (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 273)

For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

tenants (of a vineyard) / winegrower

The Greek that is translated as “tenants (of a vineyard)” or similar in English is translated in the Pfälzisch translation by Walter Sauer (publ. 2012) as Winzer and in Luxembourghish as Wënzer, both “winemaker (vintner).” The area were Pfälzisch and Luxembourghish are spoken are traditional wine making areas and this is the commonly used term.

The same term is also used in John 15:1 for (English) “winegrower.” (Source: Zetzsche)

vineyard

The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is translated as “vineyard” in English is translated in Noongar as boodjer-djildjiyang, lit. “land for fruit.” (Source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018).

complete verse (Luke 20:16)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 20:16:

  • Noongar: “He will come and kill these people and he will give the orchard to other tenants to use.’ When people heard this story, they said, ‘Surely, this cannot happen!'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Definitely he will come kill them, and give his field/garden to other people.’ When the people heard this parable, they said: ‘Let it notreally happen like that!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “He will go there and kill the caretakers and will give his vineyard to others to take care of.’ When the people heard this they said, ‘God forbid.’ (lit. may God send it far away)” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “What he’s going to do is, he will come to those people whom he had take care of the field and he will kill them, and he will allow the field to be in the charge of some other people.’ And when the people who were listening to Jesus heard this, they became very sad and they said, ‘God would not do that!'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Indeed he will go then and kill them so that he will then also cause-what was planted -to-be-taken-care-of by other people.’ When the many-people heard that, they said, ‘Oh come on! (lit. Please forbid) May nothing like that happen!'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “He himself will now go there, for he will wipe out those he’d left in charge. And he will cause his ubas plantation to be tended by other field-workers.’ Well since the people understood what was alluded to in that illustration Jesus gave, they said, ‘Hopefully that indeed won’t happen!'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 20:16

Exegesis:

eleusetai kai apolesei … kai dōsei ‘he will come and destroy (or put to death) … and give.’ The end of the parable is told in the future as it is yet to come.

akousantes de eipan ‘when they heard it they said.’ Subject is the people (v. 9).

mē genoito lit. ‘let it not happen,’ expressing strong rejection, in Paul always in response to a question, here in reaction upon the preceding statement, ‘never!,’ or ‘God forbid.’ This strong reaction of the people is understandable only when it is assumed that the people know the application of the parable.

Translation:

God forbid!, or, “heaven forbid!” (An American Translation), ‘by no means!,’ ‘not at all!,’ ‘surely not!’ ‘far from it!’ (Balinese), ‘may God hinder it, or, protect us from it’ (Fulah, Zarma), ‘oh, God, perhaps not’ (the usual Tzeltal way of remonstrating).

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.