sound speech

The Greek that is translated as “sound speech” or similar in English is translated in Low German idiomatically as “whatever you say must have rhyme or reason (lit.: “has to have hand and feet”) so that it cannot be shaken” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006).

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Titus 2:8)

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 (“nothing bad to say about us” in English translations), Kwara’ae and Tok Pisin translators chose the inclusive form (including the writer of the letter and Titus).

complete verse (Titus 2:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of Titus 2:8:

  • Uma: “Your speech must always be true with nothing that can be faulted. If your actions are like that, people who are not on our side will just end up being embarrassed, because there will not be any evil speech for which they can disparage us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Your words ought to be only good so that the people do not put-down/criticize your teaching, and so that the ones-opposing-us (incl.) are also ashamed because there is no reason for them to put us (incl.) down/criticize us (incl.).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Whatever you teach must come from the correct doctrine so that it might not be spoken of as error. And then our (dual) enemies will have nothing to criticize us for, rather they will be ashamed.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “See-to-it-also that what you (sing.) teach is correct so that no one will belittle. For if what you (sing.) do is like these, those who are opposing-us will be ashamed, for they will not be able to speak-evil-of us.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Ensure that your speech is wholly good and true so that no fault can be found in it. Isn’t it so that if it’s like that, those ones who are opposing you will be ashamed for there’s nothing they can negatively-criticize us for.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Let it be the good word which you speak, never let it be incorrect words which you speak. Then those who are angry with you will not be able to find how to criticize you. Then they will be ashamed.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Titus 2:8

As Revised Standard Version shows, this is still a part of the sentence that began with verse 7, and therefore it is a further description of Titus’ teaching. It is awkward, however, to use the verb show with sound speech unless it is recast in some way (for example, New International Version “In your teaching show … soundness of speech”). Another way of dealing with this problem is to start a new sentence at verse 8 and employ an appropriate verb (for example, Good News Translation “Use”; compare Revised English Bible “offer”).

The word for sound occurs only here in the New Testament but comes from the same root as “sound” in 1 Tim 1.10. It can mean “accurate,” “right,” “useful.” Speech is literally “word” but is used here to refer either to the content of what is uttered or to actual words used. Sound speech therefore means “accurate teaching” or “right doctrine” when used of content, and “useful words” or “proper words” when used of actual words that are spoken. Other ways to express this are “When you teach, always teach correct doctrine” or “… always use words that will help and encourage others.”

Cannot be censured translates a word that appears only here in the New Testament and means “above criticism,” “beyond condemnation,” “beyond reproach.” The implied agents are of course other people, Christians and non-Christians alike, and this can be made explicit in the translation; for example, “which no one can criticize.”

The purpose of all this (verses 7-8a, and not simply 8a) is to put to shame “the opponent,” which is what the Greek text has (literally “the one who is opposed,” only here in the whole New Testament; compare Phillips “your opponent”). Some have suggested that this term refers to a specific person, perhaps a pagan critic. It is of course possible, and in fact more likely, to take opponent here as a generic term for those who oppose Titus and the church (compare Jerusalem Bible “any opponent”), in which case it is more appropriate in some languages to use the plural form (compare Good News Translation “your enemies,” New International Version “those who oppose you”).

May be put to shame translates a verb that occurs only here in the Pastoral Letters. It is literally “to turn around, revert”; in a good sense it means “to turn toward (someone in respect)”; in a bad sense, as here, it means “to be put to shame.” The expression may be taken as reflexive; hence “may be ashamed of themselves” (compare Phillips “will feel ashamed”). The last part of the verse can be interpreted as the reason for their being ashamed: if Titus’ opponents find that they have no case against him and against the church, then they will look foolish indeed. It is also possible to take this last part as a result of their being ashamed: the opponents feel so ashamed that they cannot say anything bad at all against the Christians (compare Contemporary English Version “your enemies will be too ashamed to say anything against you”).

Us refers to Titus and all Christians in general and should therefore be translated as inclusive.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• When you teach, always teach correct doctrine so that no one can criticize you. If you do this, your enemies will not be able to say anything against us [inclusive] and so will be ashamed (or, lose face).

Or:

• When you teach, always use words that will help and encourage others so that no one….

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to Titus. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .