confess (sin)

Click here to view graphically

The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated as “confess” in English in the context of these verses is translated in a variety of ways. Here are some (back-) translations:

  • Highland Puebla Nahuatl, Tzeltal: “say openly”
  • San Blas Kuna: “accuse oneself of one’s own evil”
  • Kankanaey: “tell the truth about one’s sins”
  • Huastec: “to take aim at one’s sin” (“an idiom which is derived from the action of a hunter taking aim at a bird or animal”) (source for this and all above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Tabasco Chontal: “say, It is true, I’ve done evil” (source: Larson 1998, p. 204)
  • Central Pame: “pull out the heart” (“so that it may be clearly seen — not just by men, but by God”) (source: Nida 1952, p. 155)
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “say, It is true I have sinned” (source: Nida 1964, p. 228)
  • Obolo: itutumu ijo isibi: “speak out sin” (source: Enene Enene).
  • Tagbanwa: “testify that one would now drop/give-up sin” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Kutu: “speak sin” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

sin

The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated as “sin” in English has a wide variety of translations.

The Greek ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō) carries the original verbatim meaning of “miss the mark.” Likewise, many translations contain the “connotation of moral responsibility.” Loma has (for certain types of sin) “leaving the road” (which “implies a definite standard, the transgression of which is sin”) or Navajo uses “that which is off to the side.” (Source: Bratcher / Nida). In Toraja-Sa’dan the translation is kasalan, which originally meant “transgression of a religious or moral rule” and has shifted its meaning in the context of the Bible to “transgression of God’s commandments.” (Source: H. van der Veen in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 21ff. ).

In Shipibo-Conibo the term is hocha. Nida (1952, p. 149) tells the story of its choosing: “In some instances a native expression for sin includes many connotations, and its full meaning must be completely understood before one ever attempts to use it. This was true, for example, of the term hocha first proposed by Shipibo-Conibo natives as an equivalent for ‘sin.’ The term seemed quite all right until one day the translator heard a girl say after having broken a little pottery jar that she was guilty of ‘hocha.’ Breaking such a little jar scarcely seemed to be sin. However, the Shipibos insisted that hocha was really sin, and they explained more fully the meaning of the word. It could be used of breaking a jar, but only if the jar belonged to someone else. Hocha was nothing more nor less than destroying the possessions of another, but the meaning did not stop with purely material possessions. In their belief God owns the world and all that is in it. Anyone who destroys the work and plan of God is guilty of hocha. Hence the murderer is of all men most guilty of hocha, for he has destroyed God’s most important possession in the world, namely, man. Any destructive and malevolent spirit is hocha, for it is antagonistic and harmful to God’s creation. Rather than being a feeble word for some accidental event, this word for sin turned out to be exceedingly rich in meaning and laid a foundation for the full presentation of the redemptive act of God.”

In Kaingang, the translation is “break God’s word” and in Sandawe the original meaning of the Greek term (see above) is perfectly reflected with “miss the mark.” (Source: Ursula Wiesemann in Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 36ff., 43)

In Warao it is translated as “bad obojona.” Obojona is a term that “includes the concepts of consciousness, will, attitude, attention and a few other miscellaneous notions.” (Source: Henry Osborn in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 74ff. ). See other occurrences of Obojona in the Warao New Testament.

Martin Ehrensvärd, one of the translators for the Danish Bibelen 2020, comments on the translation of this term: “We would explain terms, such that e.g. sin often became ‘doing what God does not want’ or ‘breaking God’s law’, ‘letting God down’, ‘disrespecting God’, ‘doing evil’, ‘acting stupidly’, ‘becoming guilty’. Now why couldn’t we just use the word sin? Well, sin in contemporary Danish, outside of the church, is mostly used about things such as delicious but unhealthy foods. Exquisite cakes and chocolates are what a sin is today.” (Source: Ehrensvärd in HIPHIL Novum 8/2023, p. 81ff. )

See also sinner.

Translation commentary on Numbers 5:6 - 5:7

Say to the people of Israel introduces a quote within a quote that continues until the end of verse 10. God tells Moses what to say to the Israelites.

When a man or woman commits any of the sins that men commit …: Good News Translation renders a man or a woman as “any of you,” which does not express that the circumstances in view here apply equally to women as well as men. (This distinction must be made since a number of other instructions in the book of Numbers apply specifically to men or specifically to women.) For commits any of the sins that men commit, Good News Translation has “commits a wrong against someone,” which reflects the Hebrew more accurately. Compare New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh with “commits any wrong toward a fellow man.” But what sort of sins are being referred to here (which may make a difference in some languages)? Lev 6.1-7 (5.20-26 in Hebrew) seems to indicate that sins of theft, deceit, cheating, fraud, and false testimony are involved.

By breaking faith with the LORD: New International Version renders this clause well by saying “and so is unfaithful to the LORD.” The Hebrew expression here is an emphatic one since it renders a verb and noun from the same root (maʿal) along with the preposition meaning “with/against” (b ). It refers to deep disloyalty (see Deut 32.51). The interpersonal sins in view here pollute the holiness of the camp in which the LORD dwells.

And that person is guilty: This rendering may wrongly suggest that the people who commit these sins are perhaps not always guilty. So a better translation is “then that person is guilty” (similarly New Revised Standard Version, New International Version). The guilt is the result of the sin. Unfortunately, Good News Translation omits this clause. Guilt implies the need for restitution, compensation, repayment. The Hebrew verb rendered is guilty (ʾasham) comes the same root as the noun translated restitution in the next verse. This verb is an important term in the description of Israel’s cultic system. It refers to a situation that has resulted from some illegal action. It is incompatible with God’s holiness, and therefore the condition of “being guilty” can only be removed through confession, ritual purification, and restitution.

He shall confess his sin which he has committed is literally “and they will confess their sin which they have committed.” The Hebrew has plural verbs here, which still refer to the man and woman mentioned at the beginning of the whole sentence. A public, oral confession is implied. Translations of he shall confess that express this are “he/she/they must reveal” (Chewa) and “he/she must speak out” (Tonga).

And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it: These two clauses may present a translation challenge in some languages, especially those that do not have a modern or concise numbering system. For example, a fifth may have to be translated “20 percent” (Good News Translation), “one part in five” (Chewa), or “one piece taken from every five pieces.” Although it is not mentioned specifically, this penalty is probably to be paid in money.

And giving it to him to whom he did the wrong: The person who is guilty must give the money to the person he has wronged. The Hebrew verb rendered did the wrong is the same one translated is guilty.

A model for verses 6-7 is:

• 6 “Speak to the Israelites: When a man or a woman commits a wrong against someone and so is unfaithful to the LORD, that person is guilty 7 and must confess the sin that he has committed. That person shall make full restitution for the wrong, add one fifth to it, and give it to the person he has wronged.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .