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Description
A speaker or writer can use exactly the same words to say something he means as completely true, as generally true, or as a hyperbole. This is why it can be hard to decide how to understand a statement. For example, the sentence below could mean three different things.
- It rains here every night.
- The speaker means this as literally true if he means that it really does rain here every night.
- The speaker means this as a generalization if he means that it rains here most nights.
- The speaker means this as a hyperbole if he wants to say it rains more than it actually does, usually in order to express a strong attitude toward the amount of rain, such as being annoyed or being happy.
Hyperbole: This is a figure of speech that uses exaggeration. A speaker deliberately describes something by an extreme or even unreal statement, usually to show his strong feeling or opinion about it. He expects people to understand that he is exaggerating.
They will not leave one stone upon another (Luke 19:44 ULT)
- This is an exaggeration. It means that the enemies will completely destroy Jerusalem.
Generalization: This is a statement that is true most of the time or in most situations that it could apply to.
The one who ignores instruction will have poverty and shame, but honor will come to him who learns from correction. (Proverbs 13:18)
- These generalizations tell about what normally happens to people who ignore instruction and what normally happens to people who learn from correction.
And when you pray, do not make useless repetitions as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. (Matthew 6:7)
- This generalization tells about what Gentiles were known for doing. Many Gentiles may have done this.
Even though a generalization may have a strong-sounding word like “all”, “always”, “none”, or “never”, it does not necessarliy mean exactly “all”, “always”, “none”, or “never”. It simply means “most", “most of the time”, “hardly any”, or “rarely".
Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians (Acts 7:22 ULT)
- This generalization means that he had learned much of what the Egyptians knew and taught.
Reason this is a translation issue
- Readers need to be able to understand whether or not a statement is completely true.
- If readers realize that a statement is not completely true, they need to be able to understand whether it is a hyperbole, a generalization, or a lie. (Though the Bible is completely true, it tells about people who did not always tell the truth.)
Examples from the Bible
Examples of Exaggeration
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed… (Mark 9:43 ULT)
When Jesus said to cut off your hand, he meant that we should do whatever extreme things we need to do in order not to sin. He used this hyperbole to show how extremely important it is to try to stop sinning.
The Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand men to drive the chariots, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. (1 Samuel 13:5 ULT)
The underlined phrase is an exaggeration. It means that there were many, many soldiers in the Philistine army.
Examples of Generalization
They found him, and they said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” (Mark 1:37 ULT)
The disciples told Jesus that everyone was looking for him. They probably did not mean that everyone in the city was looking for him, but that many people were looking for him, or that all of Jesus’ closest friends there were looking for him.
But as his anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie, and even as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:27 ULT)
This is a generalization. God’s Spirit teaches us about all things that we need to know, not about everything that is possible to know.
Caution
Do not assume that something is an exaggeration just because it seems to be impossible. God does miraculous things.
…they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat… (John 6:19 ULT)
This is not hyperbole. Jesus really walked on the water. It is a literal statement.
Do not assume that the word “all” is always a generalization that means “most.”
Yahweh is righteous in all his ways and gracious in all he does. (Psalms 145:17 ULT)
Yahweh is always righteous. This is a completely true statement.
Translation Strategies
If the exaggeration or generalization would be natural and people would understand it and not think that it is a lie, consider using it. If not, here are other options.
- Express the meaning without the exaggeration.
- For a generalization, show that it is a generalization by using a phrase like “in general” or “in most cases”.
- For a generalization, add a word like “most” or “almost” to show that the generalization is not exact.
- For a generalization that has a word like “all”, always”, “none”, or “never”, consider deleting that word.
Examples of Translation Strategies Applied
(1) Express the meaning without the exaggeration.
The Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand men to drive the chariots, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. (1 Samuel 13:5 ULT)
The Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand men to drive the chariots, and a great number of troops.
(2) For a generalization, show that it is a generalization by using a phrase like “in general” or “in most cases”.
The one who ignores instruction will have poverty and shame… (Proverbs 13:18 ULT)
In general, the one who ignores instruction will have poverty and shame And when you pray, do not make useless repetitions as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. (Matthew 6:7) “And when you pray, do not make useless repetitions as the Gentiles generally do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.”
(3) For a generalization, add a word like “most” or “almost” to show that the generalization is not exact.
The whole country of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. (Mark 1:5 ULT)
Almost all the country of Judea and almost all the people of Jerusalem went out to him.” Most of the country of Judea and most of the people of Jerusalem went out to him.”
(4) For a generalization that has a word like “all”, always”, “none”, or “never”, consider deleting that word.
The whole country of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. (Mark 1:5 ULT)
The country of Judea and the people of Jerusalem went out to him.