NE TOF NAVT

Radical revision in translation Frya's Tex #3

(This was posted on UM-forum on 22 April 2012 - 03:39 PM)

[011/30]
J HÀWED SJAN HO RING IK HELPE LÉNDE.
DVA AL ÉN MITH JO NÉSTON.
MEN NE TOF NAVT TIL MÀN JO BÉDEN HETH.
THA LYDANDE SKOLDE JO FLOKA
MIN FÁMNA SKOLDUN JVWA NÁMA UFFÁGA UT.ÀT BOK
ÀND IK SKOLDE JO LIK VNBIKÀNNADE OFWISA MOTA.

First the 1876 translations by Ottema (Dutch) and Sandbach (English), then from the later translations only the underlined part, which I want to discuss.

Ottema (1876) Dutch
Gij hebt gezien, hoe spoedig ik hulp verleende. 
Doe al eender met uwen naaste; 
maar en toef niet tot dat men u gebeden heeft; 
de lijdende zoude u vloeken, 
mijne maagden zouden uwen naam uitwisschen uit het boek 
en ik zoude u als een onbekende moeten afwijzen.
("en toef niet" = don't ...?)

Sandbach (1876) English
You have seen how speedily I have come to your assistance.
Do likewise to your neighbour,
but wait not for his entreaties.
The suffering would curse you,
my maidens would erase your name from the book,
and I would regard you as a stranger.

Wirth (1933) German
Aber zaudert nicht, bis man euch gebeten hat.
(But don't hesitate, till one has asked you.)

Overwijn (1951) Dutch
maar wacht niet totdat men u verzocht heeft.
(but don't wait till one has asked you.)

Jensma (2006) Dutch
maar toef niet tot men u gebeden heeft.
(but don't ...? till one has asked you.)

De Heer (2008) Dutch
maar toef niet totdat men je gevraagd heeft.
(but don't ...? till one has asked you.)

Raubenheimer (2011) English
Do not wait until someone begs you;

"Toef" in the translations by Ottema, Jensma and De Heer is from the verb "toeven", but this word can have many (some of them totally opposite) meanings, one of them being "to wait". 
The word is used only once in the OLB, so we only have this one fragment to find out what it may have ment.

Judging by the context, I am pretty sure that the following meaning is the right one here:
(Source: http://gtb.inl.nl/iW...emmodern=toeven )

Quote

Bepaaldelijk van een zieke, of iemand die in zorgen of verdriet verkeert: verzorgen; troosten.
Ook van dieren: verzorgen.

Zij zoude u zoe wel gerijven: U eten u coocken …, U bierken haelen …, En worde ghi sieck, zij zouw u toeven, Esbat. v.d. Rode Lelije 126 [± 1560].
De bedructe dan secoureert, troost en toeft, numan, Striit d. Gem. 89 b [1590].
Ghy … u hoop meught bouwen Op de vlijt van de Prins van Nassouwen, Die u eert …, die u diend, Die u toeft, die u troost enz.,starter 351 [1621].
De Lammers met de Schapen, De Calvers met de Koe; Elck … lopen naer u toe: Noch sullen geenen stanck Verwecken voor den danck Van haer soo wel te touven, Als buyten op de houven, hondius, Moufe-schans 53 [1621].
Strack een bedt sy deckten Van het onbevleckte Ruyckende kruyt, Waer op de gequetste Bruyt Wert geleyt, gedeckt, getoeft, Amst. Pegas. 114 b [1627].
Myn Liefs verlies maekt my bedroefd, En niet een anderen my toeft, v. daele, Tydv. 27, 2 [1806].

=> In the context of someone who is ill, worried or grieving (in need of help): to support, comfort, take care; in a more simple term, to help

When I made a video about Frya's Tex in 2009, I intuitively chose the (IMO) right translation ("don't force others to accept your help"), but later when I read the various translations, I changed it.

I kept wondering, what is worse: 
to help someone who has not asked for help, 
or to wait until someone asks you for help?

It had to be something really bad, considering the three consequences that are listed.

I know that Frisians are very proud and want to be independant.
They would not want someone to come and help them as long as they think they can do it themselves.
At the other hand, they may be too proud to ask for help when they need it, or is that something of later date? 

Anyway, so here's my suggestion for the revised translation:

You have seen how quickly I provided help.
Do the same with your neighbors.
But don't meddle in until one has asked you.
The suffering would curse you,
my Famna would erase your name from the book,
and I would have to reject you as if you were a stranger.