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OET (OET-LV) not is_dishonouring, not is_seeking the things of_itself, not is_being_provoked, not is_counting the evil,
OET (OET-RV) It isn’t crude, it doesn’t just care about itself, it doesn’t get angry quickly, and it doesn’t keep records about who wrongs us.
In this section Paul talked about the importance of love. He described how a person who loves will behave toward others. He concluded that love is more important than any of the spiritual gifts. One day all the spiritual gifts will cease, but love will never cease.
Here are some other possible section headings:
Love
Paul urged believers to act in love
The way of love
In this paragraph Paul used a figure of speech called personification. He wrote as though love is a person who behaves in certain ways. In some languages it may not be possible to say that an abstract idea like love does things. The notes and the meaning lines in the Display suggest some ways to remove this personification if it is necessary.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs: Verse 5 tells four more things that a person who loves does not do.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
Love does not act in a way that is not proper. Love is not selfish.
If we love other people, we respect them. We do not think only about what is good for ourselves.
not rude: To be rude is to behave in ways that are not appropriate. A rude person offends or embarrasses other people. A loving person does not behave in this way. See how you translated this word in 7:36.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
does not act in a way that is not appropriate/proper
does not disrespect other people
does not lack politeness
In some languages it may be better to translate this as a positive statement. For example:
A person who loves does what is appropriate/proper
A person who loves is polite to others
A person who loves respects other people
not self-seeking: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as self-seeking is literally “look for one’s own things.” The Greek phrase and the English word self-seeking are both idioms that mean “selfish.” Selfish people care only about what they need. They are not concerned for the needs of others. People who love do not do this. They think of the good of other people and try to help them. See how you translated this idiom in 10:24a, and 10:33b.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
is not selfish
does not demand that things happen his way
does not think only about what is good for herself
In some languages it may be better to translate this as a positive statement. For example:
A person who loves seeks the good of others
it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.
Love does not become angry quickly. It does not remember the wrong things that other people do.
If we love other people, we are slow to get angry at them. We don’t count up the ways they have hurt us.
not easily angered: The Greek word that the BSB translates as easily angered is literally “made sharp.” It is used figuratively to mean “made angry.” The BSB has added the word easily because the Bible does not condemn all anger.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
is not irritable/upset
is not quick to be angry
is slow to get angry
There may be an idiom for easily angered in your language. Idioms in some languages include:
hot heart/liver
short heart/liver
keeps no account of wrongs: The phrase keeps no account of wrongs indicates that people who love others does not continue to remember wrongs. They do not hold grudges or continue to hate a person who has hurt them.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
does not remember/think about wrongs
does not count/keep track of wrongs
In some languages it may be better to translate this as a positive statement. For example:
forgets/overlooks wrongs
wrongs: The Greek word that the BSB translates as wrongs is literally “evil.” It refers to what others have done to harm us.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
how other people have hurt us
other people’s sins
the wrong things that other people do
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / personification
οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ, οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς, οὐ παροξύνεται, οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν
not ˓is˒_dishonoring (Some words not found in SR-GNT: οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ οὒ ζητεῖ τά ἑαυτῆς οὒ παροξύνεται οὒ λογίζεται τό κακόν)
Here, just like in [13:4](../13/04.md), Paul speaks as if “love” were a person. Continue to follow the translation strategies you chose in that verse. Alternate translation: [If you love others, you are not rude; you are not seeking your own; you are not easily angered; you do not keep a count of wrongs]
Note 2 topic: translate-unknown
οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ
not ˓is˒_dishonoring
Here, rude refers to behavior that is shameful or disgraceful. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express rude with a word that refers to shameful or disgraceful behavior. Alternate translation: [It does not do disgraceful things] or [it is not inappropriate]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ οὒ ζητεῖ τά ἑαυτῆς οὒ παροξύνεται οὒ λογίζεται τό κακόν)
Here, its own refers to what is good for oneself. In other words, seeking its own would mean that “love” is trying to do what is best for itself, not for others. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express it does not seek its own with a comparable idiom or express the idea with a word such as “selfish.” Alternate translation: [it is not selfish]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
οὐ παροξύνεται
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ οὒ ζητεῖ τά ἑαυτῆς οὒ παροξύνεται οὒ λογίζεται τό κακόν)
If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Paul uses the passive here to focus on the person who is angered rather than focusing on the one provoking them. If you must state who did the action, you can use a vague or generic subject. Alternate translation: [others do not anger them easily]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ οὒ ζητεῖ τά ἑαυτῆς οὒ παροξύνεται οὒ λογίζεται τό κακόν)
Here Paul speaks as if someone could keep a count, as if they were writing them down and adding them up, of each and every bad thing that others have done. He speaks in this way to describe how people remember wrongs and do not forgive them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express keep a count of wrongs with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [it does not hold onto wrongs] or [it is not resentful]
OET (OET-LV) not is_dishonouring, not is_seeking the things of_itself, not is_being_provoked, not is_counting the evil,
OET (OET-RV) It isn’t crude, it doesn’t just care about itself, it doesn’t get angry quickly, and it doesn’t keep records about who wrongs us.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.
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