fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Matt. 25:8)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the wise).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Matthew 25:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 25:8:

  • Uma: “The stupid young-women said to their friends who were wise: ‘Friends, give us a little of your oil please, our torches are about to die.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The stupid girls said to the wise ones, ‘Give us oil, for our lamps are soon going out.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then the stupid ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some kerosene because our lamps are going out.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Whereupon the ones with no reserve said to their companions who were thoughtful/reflective, ‘Please give-us some of your oil, because here our (excl.) lights are going-out.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Those simple-minded ones said, ‘Friend(s), give us (excl.) even just a little to put in these lamps of ours. For look at this, they’re just spluttering now because there’s nothing in them any more.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The five foolish girls said to the wise girls: ‘Give us a little of your oil, because our lights now want to go out,’ they said.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 25:8

From the discussion about the lamps in Matthew 25.3, it is clear that the verb going out may mean either “will soon be going out” or “will go out too soon.”

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 .