看人情面

English translation: consider someone's status

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Chinese term or phrase:	看人情面
English translation:	consider someone's status
Entered by:	Wenjer Leuschel (X)

08:43 Jul 30, 2007

Chinese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Common Expression

Chinese term or phrase: 看人情面

The context:
中文和合本圣经箴言第二十八章第二十一节的翻译是
“看人的情面乃为不好；人因一块饼枉法也为不好。”

King James Bible 的翻译是
"To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress."

American Standard Version 的翻译是
"To have respect of persons is not good; Neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread."

New American Standard Version 的翻译是
"To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress."

Bible in Basic English 的翻译是
"It is not good to have respect for a man's position: for a man will do wrong for a bit of bread."

Obviously, the Chinese translation is according to the American Standard Version. However, my question is: How to translate “看人情面”into English properly?

Wenjer Leuschel (X) KudoZ activity Questions: 367 (3 open) (5 closed without grading) Answers: 4078 Taiwan
Local time: 12:37

consider someone's status

Explanation:
This is what I would say, but what the NIV says just in case you're interested is "To show partiality is not good--yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread."

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Note added at 15 hrs (2007-07-30 23:45:20 GMT)
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I think "considering someone's status" and showing partiality have somewhat of the same meaning in this case. If you consider someone's status and it doesn't measure up, you may treat them badly. On the other hand, if someone is in a powerful position, you may treat them better than others to gain favor in their eyes. "Showing partiality" is basically favoritism, so the two terms only differ in the sense that "considering someone's status" could be taken negatively.

Selected response from:

Caroline Moreno
United States
Local time: 21:37

Grading comment

Thanks for all the suggestions made by peers! I choose this one as the most helpful.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

consider someone's status

Caroline Moreno

to be affected by others when making a decision

tomu6526

do someone a personal favor

wingedvampire

to have respect for a man's position

tulip855

Answers

35 mins confidence:

to have respect for a man's position

Explanation:
Among all these versions you provided here, I think, this one is the closet one.
Just for your reference.

tulip855
Local time: 12:37
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Chinese

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks! I believe so, or else there wouldn't be a saying in Chinese: 先敬罗衣后敬人.

Asker: I could have chosen this one. However, 看人情面 is kind of two directional, not just one direction (respect because of some's position). Sometimes, the ones in better positions feel inferior to someone under their temporary power and they would behave themselves just another way round. That's why people suffer when they don't have a proper means to fight back.

6 hrs confidence:

consider someone's status

Caroline Moreno
United States
Local time: 21:37
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 44

Grading comment

Thanks for all the suggestions made by peers! I choose this one as the most helpful.

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks, Carolone! Do you think that there is a concordance between "considering someone's status" and "showing partiality"? If there is, then the Chinese translation might be a bit misleading. Or probably the other peers would have other opinions?

Asker: Yes, as I've observed on this earth for some decades, I've found that "considering someone's status" is the root of showing partiality. In Chinese, we say "狗眼看人低" and that happens when the considering of someone's status hits in a wrong direction.

17 hrs confidence:

do someone a personal favor

Explanation:
看人情面，不一定对方的地位有多高。“看在我的面子上”＝do me a little favor。

wingedvampire
Local time: 12:37
Native speaker of:

Chinese

Notes to answerer

Asker: 是呀，恳求的人说“看在我的面子上”，施恩的人还真的看那人有没“面子”的呢！

Asker: 你的答案也不錯，但我沒選用，主要原因是由於“情面”是主觀的認知，“看人情面”不一定是說項者提出的央求，而是當事者自己本身的認定，所以不會是認定後的施恩動作，而是任何決定之前的考量。Do someone a personal favor 是決定後的動作，決定的考量是 consider someone's status。

1 day 6 hrs confidence:

to be affected by others when making a decision

Explanation:
意思就是被他人的地位或关系等影响了本该作出的原有的决定。

tomu6526
Local time: 12:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Chinese,

Japanese
PRO pts in category: 4

Notes to answerer

Asker: 對的，本來應該做的決定是公正的決定，而非公報私仇，玩法弄權的決定。因此，不看人情面也可以當作濫權封人意見的遮羞布。你的答案並沒有錯，但我沒選用，主要原因在於 consider someone's status 確實比較能深入表達看人情面的人間現象背後的因由。

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