OET interlinear 1COR 15:33

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-quotations

μὴ πλανᾶσθε— φθείρουσιν ἤθη χρηστὰ ὁμιλίαι κακαί

not /be_being/_deceived /are/_corrupting character good conversations evil

The Corinthians would have recognized “Bad company corrupts good morals” as a common saying. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express how Paul introduces this saying with a phrase that indicates that Paul is referring to a common saying. Alternate translation: “Do not be deceived. As the saying goes, ‘Bad company corrupts good morals’”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations

μὴ πλανᾶσθε— φθείρουσιν ἤθη χρηστὰ ὁμιλίαι κακαί

not /be_being/_deceived /are/_corrupting character good conversations evil

If you do not use this form in your language, you could translate the saying as an indirect quote instead of as a direct quote. Make sure that your readers know that Paul is referring to a common saying. Alternate translation: “Do not be deceived. People say that bad company corrupts good morals”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

μὴ πλανᾶσθε

not /be_being/_deceived

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 form here to focus on those who are deceived rather than focusing on the people doing the “deceiving.” If you must state who does the action, you can use a vague or indefinite subject. Alternate translation: “Do not let others deceive you” or “You should not allow people to deceive you”

Note 4 topic: writing-proverbs

φθείρουσιν ἤθη χρηστὰ ὁμιλίαι κακαί

/are/_corrupting character good conversations evil

In Paul’s culture, this statement was a proverb that many people would have been familiar with. The proverb means that bad friends turn a good person into a bad person. You could translate the proverb in a way that will be recognized as a proverb and be meaningful in your language and culture. Alternate translation: “Bad friends ruin good people”

Note 5 topic: translate-unknown

ὁμιλίαι κακαί

conversations evil

Here, Bad company refers to a persons’ friends who normally do what is wrong. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express Bad company with a comparable phrase that refers to friends who do what is wrong. Alternate translation: “Wicked companions”

Note 6 topic: translate-unknown

ἤθη χρηστὰ

character good

Here, good morals refers to the character of a person who habitually does what is good or right. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express good morals with a comparable word or phrase that identifies someone with proper or right character. Alternate translation: “those who do what is right” or “upright character”