This line is spoken as Jesus see those mourning a girl is dead.
Mark 5:39 Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
Mark 5:39 Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.”
Why do you make a confused uproar and weep? This little child didn't die. Instead, she sleeps.
Sleep and death are easily confused when death actually is a type of sleep.
The Greek verb translated as "make ye..ado"/"make noise" means a crowd making noise that creates a disturbance or uproar. It is from a root noun that means "noise", especially the noise of a crowd. This is the only time Jesus uses this word, which usually indicates that it was chosen for its metaphoric meaning, that of confusion. Jesus is pointing out that they are confused.
The noun translated as "damsel" and "child" specifically means a "little child." This is a contradiction because the girl is said in Mark 5:42 to be twelve years old.
By translating the "died" and "sleeps" to nouns (dead, asleep), the translation loses the tenses of the verbs. Jesus is contrasting dying at a specific point in time with sleeping now.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "this" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "damsel" should be something more like "look."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "is" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "dead" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "but" is not the common word usually translated as "but."
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "all this" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "commotion" is an active verb not a noun, "clamor."
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "wailing" is an active verb not a gerund, "wail."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "is" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "dead" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "but" is not the common word usually translated as "but."
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "asleep" is an active verb not a gerund, "sleeps."
Why - The word translated as "why" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why".
make - The word translated as "make ye ado" means to make a noise or uproar, especially the noise of a crowd, either in celebration, anger, or, as in this case, sorrow. This is the only time that Jesus used this word. It also means the confusion caused by noise.
ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
this -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "this" in the Greek source.
ado, -- This completes the idea of the verb.
and - The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is best translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as".
weep? - The verb translated as "weep" means "to weep", "to lament," and "to cry".
the - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
damsel (WW) The word translated as "damsel" is translated from a Greek word that means "a young child" or "little child." It is one of several words that Jesus uses that are translated as "child" or "children." (See this article.) One unique aspect of this word is that it is neither masculine or feminine, but neuter. It is almost always translated that way in the NT. This is the only exception. The noun is neutral, not feminine.
is..-- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "is" in the Greek source.
not The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea.
dead, - (CW) This verb means means "to die" and "to die off." The tense indicates something that happened at some point in time in past, present, or future. CW --Confusing Word -- The "dead" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
but -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "but" denotes an exception or simple opposition. It is used to emphasize the contrast between things like we use "instead," "but instead,"or "rather." It is not the common word usually translated as "but." It is the Greek word "other" like we use "otherwise." Jesus often uses this conjunction to connect a negative clause, "not this," with a positive one, "instead this."
sleepeth. - "Sleep" is a verb means "to lie down to sleep", "to sleep," and "to lie asleep."
Why - The word translated as "why" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why".
all this -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "all this" in the Greek source.
commotion - (WF) This completes the idea of a verb. It is not a noun.
and - The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is best translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as".
wailing? - (WF) The verb translated as "wailing" means "to weep", "to lament," and "to cry". It is not a participle or gerund.
The - The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more.
child - The word translated as "child" is translated from a Greek word that means "a young child" or "little child." It is one of several words that Jesus uses that are translated as "child" or "children." (See this article.) One unique aspect of this word is that it is neither masculine or feminine, but neuter.
is..-- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "is" in the Greek source.
not The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact. Adding "really" to the sentence captures the same idea.
dead, - (CW) This verb means means "to die" and "to die off." The tense indicates something that happened at some point in time in past, present, or future.
but -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "but" denotes an exception or simple opposition. It is used to emphasize the contrast between things like we use "instead," "but instead,"or "rather." It is not the common word usually translated as "but." It is the Greek word "other" like we use "otherwise." Jesus often uses this conjunction to connect a negative clause, "not this," with a positive one, "instead this."
asleep. - (WF) "Asleep" is a verb means "to lie down to sleep", "to sleep," and "to lie asleep." This completes the idea of the verb. It is not a noun.
Τί [252 verses](irreg sg neut nom/acc) "Why" is tis which can mean "someone", "any one", "everyone", "they [indefinite]", "many a one", "whoever", "anyone", "anything", "some sort", "some sort of", "each", "any", "the individual", "such," and so on. In a question, it can mean "who", "why," or "what."
θορυβεῖσθε [1 verse](2nd pl pres ind mp) "Make ye this ado," is from thorybeo, which means "to make a noise, uproar, or disturbance", "to shout approbation", "to cheer", "to raise a clamor," and "to confuse by noise."
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "but." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even", "also," and "just."
κλαίετε; [8 verses](2nd pl pres ind act) "Weep" is klaio, which means "to weep", "to cry", "to lament," and "to wail."
τὸ [821 verses](article sg neut nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. Without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
παιδίον [13 verses](noun sg neut nom) "Damsel" is paidion. which means "little child" or "young child," (up to seven years) "infant" or "young slave."
οὐκ [269 verses](adv) "Not" is ou , the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.
ἀπέθανεν [14 verses] (3rd sg aor ind act) "Dead" is from apothnesko, which means "to die" and "to die off." which means "to die,""to pass away," and "to die off." The prefix means "away. The root "to die."
ἀλλὰ [154 verses](conj) "But" is alla, which means "instead," "otherwise," "but," "still," "at least," "except," "yet," nevertheless," "rather," "moreover," and "nay."
καθεύδει. [12 verses] (3rd sg pres ind act) "Sleep" is from katheudo, which means "to lie down to sleep", "to sleep," and "to lie asleep."
The word translated as "make ado" means to make noise, but it also means the confusion caused by noise.
What is the difference between a young child and an older child? Young children live much more "in the moment" than older ones do. They do not see the world through a layer of assumptions. They accept that they don't know anything about the world, but they are excited to discover what the world holds.