hundred sheep

The Greek that is translated as “a hundred sheep” in English is translated in Ekari with “sixty sheep.” In Ekari “sixty” is the highest basic unit, the equivalent of “one hundred” in Greek. The arithmetical equivalent of “hundred” would be the cumbersome “forty of the second sixty.”

While Mairasi has a set term for “hundred” (ratu, also meaning “king”), 99 is expressed more complicatedly: “four whole people and two hands and one hand and four.” (source: Enggavoter 2004)

See also body part tally systems.

sheep

“Sheep are known throughout most of the world, even though, as in Central Africa, they are a far cry from the fleecy wool-producing animals of colder climates. Where such animals are known, even by seemingly strange names, e.g. ‘cotton deer’ (Yucateco) or ‘woolly goat’ (Inupiaq), such names should be used. In some instances, one may wish to borrow a name and use a classifier, e.g. ‘an animal called sheep’. In still other instances translators have used ‘animal which produces wool’, for though people are not acquainted with the animals they are familiar with wool.” (Source: Bratcher / Nida)

In Dëne Súline, it is usually translated as “an evil little caribou.” To avoid the negative connotation, a loan word from the neighboring South Slavey was used. (Source: NCAM, p. 70)

Note that the often-alleged Inuktitut translation of “sheep” with “seal” is an urban myth (source Nida 1947, p. 136).

See also lamb.

complete verse (Matthew 18:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 18:12:

  • Mairasi: “That like this: A person has a hundred domba [sheep], and then just one of those domba will be gone [lost]. How do you guys set your vision down [what do you think]? What will this person who owns domba do? Definitely he himself will leave his four whole people and two hands and one hand and four [ninety-nine] domba over there in the hills, and then he himself will go look for the missing one!” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Uma: “‘What is your opinion? There was a man who had one hundred sheep. If one is lost, what does he do? Certainly he leaves behind the ninety-nine sheep on the mountain-side, and he goes to look/search for that one lost one.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “What do you say? For example if there is a person who has one hundred sheep and one has gone astray, what then will he do? Surely he will leave the ninety-nine there on the mountain and will go and search for the one that has gone astray.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “If there is a person who has a hundred domestic animals which are sheep, and one of them is lost, what does he do? What he does is he leaves the ninety and nine that aren’t lost grazing on the hillside, and he looks for the lost one.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘For example, if there is someone who owns one hundred sheep and one gets lost, what perhaps will he do? Surely (lit. indeed maybe–connotes no doubt) he will leave the ninety-nine in the pasturing-place on the hillside to go look-for the lost one.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “What do you think,’ said Jesus, ‘that a person will do who has a hundred sheep, if supposing suddenly/unexpectedly one goes astray? Won’t he just leave the ninety nine eating there in the hills and look for that lost one?” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now if it be that there was a person who had a hundred sheep, and one of the sheep gets lost, won’t he leave the ninety-nine sheep there in the field where they are. He will go and search for the sheep that is lost.” (Source: Tenango Otomi 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 Matthew 18:12

As Revised Standard Version indicates, in Greek this verse consists of two questions, the second of which is difficult because of its length and form: If a man …, does he not…? To make comprehension easier Good News Translation adopts the form of a question followed by a statement. The verse may be simplified even more if introduced as “What do you think a man will do in the following circumstances?” or “What would a man do in the following circumstances?” The man in the parable may more appropriately be referred to in the second person: “What would you do if you had a hundred sheep and one of them got lost?” In some languages a first person plural inclusive form will be more natural: “What would we (inclusive) do…?”

There will be languages where using questions like Jesus does here will not be natural at all. There translators can say “Think about what a man would do in a case like this” or “Let me give you an example. Suppose a man….”

The second question is often restructured: “Suppose someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away. What does he do? He leaves the ninety-nine on the hillside and goes to look for the one that is lost, doesn’t he?” or “Suppose someone has a hundred sheep but one of them gets lost. Don’t you think he would leave the ninety-nine where they were and go look for that one sheep? Of course he would.”

Has gone astray … went astray: the verb “go astray” (Good News Translation “gets lost”) is used here for the first time in the Gospel. In 24.4, 5, 11, 24 it is used of persons who give up their faith; elsewhere it is found in 22.29. It can be rendered here as “wandered away” (Barclay) or “got separated from the flock.”

Note that on the mountains is often rendered as “on the hillside” (Good News Translation). This was where the sheep were grazing.

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 .