worry

The Greek and Hebrew that are translated as “worry” or “anxious” in English are translated in Navajo as “my mind is killing me.” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 24)

Nida (1952, p. 124) also gives other examples:

“The Piro in Peru use almost the same idiom when they say that a worried man is ‘one who is hard chased.’ The worried person is like a pursued animal in the forest trying to elude the hunter. The impenetrable jungle of the future, the failing strength, and the exhaustion of doubt all press hard upon the soul. And one’s heart seems to fail and even disappear. This is the very phrase employed by the Tzeltal Indians in the rugged mountains of southern Mexico. They describe ‘worry’ by the words ‘their hearts are gone.'”

See also anxious / worried about many things and worries/cares of the world/this age.

complete verse (Matthew 6:34)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 6:34:

  • Uma: “So, let’s not be busy thinking about what will happen tomorrow. This day enough/complete its trouble, don’t any longer add more to it thinking about what will happen tomorrow.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for your worries will only become many. Your worries/troubles about today are enough.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Don’t be troubled about the difficult things which will happen to you at a later day, for you should only think about that on the day it happens. Only think about what happens to you today.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore don’t be worrying about difficulties that you might experience tomorrow. Wait (lit. later) so-that tomorrow, then you will face the difficulties that will arrive on that day. Because the difficulties we experience each day are sufficient. Let’s not (lit. even-if we don’t) add-to them.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And well, don’t agitate your mind/thinking about how tomorrow will be. Just trust that to God. The hardships of this day are enough for your mind/thinking. Well, why add agitating yourselves about what hardships may come tomorrow?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now do not worry about what you will go through tomorrow. For each day had problems which a person must pass through. Just seek for how you get through the problem of the day when it comes.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 6:34

Do not be anxious: see verse 31 for the same construction.

For tomorrow will be anxious for itself is expressed more naturally in Good News Translation: “it will have enough worries of its own.” New American Bible renders “Let tomorrow take care of itself”; New Jerusalem Bible and New English Bible are similar.

In some languages it is strange to speak of being concerned about tomorrow. The idea of the verse is that you should not be concerned about “what may happen tomorrow” or “what you will need tomorrow.” For tomorrow to be anxious for itself means “for there will be enough things to worry about tomorrow” or “tomorrow you should worry about those things.”

Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day is translated “There is no need to add to the troubles each day brings” by Good News Translation, and Phillips has “One day’s trouble is enough for one day.” New English Bible translates “Each day has troubles enough of its own.” The Greek word translated trouble is not a reference to objective moral evil, but rather describes those things which bring trouble to people; in fact it is frequently used in the Septuagint for a Hebrew word that means “trouble” in general.

The idea here can be expressed in several ways: “It’s enough to be concerned each day with that day’s problems,” “Each day has enough problems without adding to them troubles from other days,” or “Don’t add to the troubles that are before you on any particular day.” The examples cited in the previous paragraph may also be helpful.

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 .