complete verse (Mark 13:36)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 13:36:

  • Uma: “So, they indeed had to be on the watch, for they didn’t know when the house owner would come, whether at evening or in the middle of the night or early morning or when the sun rises. It wouldn’t be good if [lit., Don’t-don’t] he arrived suddenly and found them asleep. So also you must be on the watch, for you don’t know when I will arrive.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For perhaps he will suddenly arrive and find you sleeping.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “It is necessary that I do not come upon you sleeping when I suddenly return.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “In case my coming is sudden/unexpected, it would be good if I don’t come-upon you sleeping.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For maybe I will come suddenly, and on my arrival you won’t be ready like a guard who is asleep.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff.), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

Here, Jesus is addressing his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

Translation commentary on Mark 13:36

Exegesis:

mē elthōn … heurē ‘lest coming … he should find,’ ‘lest he come … and find.’

exaiphnēs (only here in Mark) is an adverb ‘suddenly,’ ‘unexpectedly.’

katheudontas (cf. 4.27) ‘sleeping,’ ‘asleep.’

Translation:

For the syntactic connections of this verse to the preceding, see under 13.35.

He must refer to the owner of the house.

Suddenly is interestingly translated ‘as lightening’ in Piro.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .