gnashing of teeth

Th Greek that is translated as “gnashing of teeth” or similar in English is translated as “gnashing their teeth in pain” in Estado de México Otomi for clarity purposes (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.).

See also gnash / grind teeth.

weeping and gnashing of teeth

The now commonly-used German idiom Heulen und Zähneklappern (originally: Heulen und Zähneklappen), which today is used to express anger and outrage, often in a humorous context (literally “weeping and chattering of teeth”), was first coined in 1522 in the German New Testament translation by Martin Luther. (Source: Günther 2017, p. 79)

For other idioms or terms in German that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

complete verse (Matthew 13:42)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 13:42:

  • Uma: “All those people will be thrown into the flaming fire. There they will continually cry and suffer/groan.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And they will be thrown into the fire of hell. They will wail there and they will gnash their teeth because of their regret.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they will throw them into the fire, and there they will yell and gnash their teeth because of their great remorse.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They will throw them into the place of fire that never goes-out and they will cry-bitterly while-simultaneously they will also clench-(their) -teeth.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For what will be done to them is that these who are not God’s people will be thrown on the fire which is burning very high and which never dies down. There their teeth will grind and they will cry-loudly without restraint.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “These evil people will be thrown into the oven which has a great fire. There the people will cry and gnash their teeth for the painful situation they endure.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 13:42

The subject of throw is still “the angels” of verse 41, and the object, them, is the people who cause others to sin or who do evil. Translators should translate verses 41 and 42 together to make the sentence natural in their language.

The furnace of fire originates from Daniel 3.6. But in the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras 7.36, “the furnace of hell” is mentioned as the final place of the wicked as opposed to “the paradise of delight” where the righteous will live. Furnace of fire may be a problem if readers are not familiar with furnaces. Since, as we point out, this expression can well refer to hell, then “the fires of hell” or “into hell, which is like a great fire” are possible translations. Otherwise “the great fire” can be used.

Weep and gnash their teeth: see comments on 8.12.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .