TRANSLATIONS OF “OUR LORD’S PRAYER” IN AFRICAN LANGUAGES

ISSUES OF INCULTURATION

Abstract

In support of French Bishops’ Conference retranslation of the Latin phrase of the Lord’s Prayer, ne nos inducas in tentationem (lead us not into temptation), which now reads, “ne nous laisse pas succomber à la tentation” (do no not let us succumb to temptation), Pope Francis made an important observation concerning this last phrase in the Lord’s Prayer. That is, “… lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” According to the Pope, this last phrase in the Lord’s Prayer is poorly, translated in most of the Western Latin languages such as English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, etc. For this reason, the Pope asked that the last phrase in the Lord’s Prayer (lead us not into temptation …), be retranslated in those Latin languages and others to reflect the original text and meaning of the ‘Lord’s Prayer.’