I want to write "good will toward men" in a Christmas card. Would I use "hombres" or "humanidad?" So it would be Buena voluntad hacia (hombres o humanidad)?

Question

I want to write "good will toward men" in a Christmas card. Would I use "hombres" or "humanidad?" So would it be Buena voluntad hacia (hombres o humanidad)?

• The traditional expression is "a los hombres" - Gekkosan Dec 9, 2011
• Humanidad. Language being a live phenomina moves onwith time. - eldevino Dec 10, 2011

Answer 1

My Bible (Reina Valera 1960) has in Lucas 2:14 "...buena voluntad para con los hombres"

• That's what I found, too. - dogwood Dec 9, 2011

Answer 2

That is an interesting question. I looked up the Biblical reference (Luke 2) to see how the passage was handled in popular Spanish translations. The ones I checked (Reina Valera, Dios Habla Hoy) both use "hombres".

"buena voluntad para con los hombres", Reina Valera, 1995, Lucas 2:14

"Paz en la tierra entre los hombres que gozan de su favor", Dios Habla Hoy

I would have thought it would be "humanidad".

• Is there a rule to use when you put "para con" instead of just "con" - Der_Kirby Dec 9, 2011
• "para con" means "towards [a person]", whereas "con" means "with". - mountaingirl Dec 9, 2011

Answer 3

From the NVI translation:

Y en la tierra paz a los que gozan de su buena voluntad.

From the NIV translation:

And on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.