4:16
Before you translate 4:16, there are several issues to consider:
Issue 1: Parallelism
Verse 4:16 is a Hebrew form of poetry called a parallelism. In a parallelism, an idea is repeated. In this particular parallelism, different words are used in the second part of the verse, but they have the same basic meaning as the words in the first part.
The parallel parts in 4:16a–b that are similar in meaning are shown here:
16a
the people living in darkness have seen a great light,
16b
on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned
In some languages, people will think that the parallel parts in 4:16 describe different things. In other words, they will think that the clause “the people living in darkness” and the clause “those living in the land of the shadow of death” describe different groups of people. They will think that the clause “have seen a great light” and the clause “a light has dawned” describe two different things.
If that is true in your language, you should:
• Indicate that both expressions refer to the same thing. For example:
16athe people living in darkness have seen a great light;
16b
⌊I repeat,⌋ a light has dawned on those living in the land of the shadow of death
• Combine the parallel parts. For example:
a great light has dawned on the people living in the land of darkness and death
Issue 2: Metaphor
In addition, this verse uses metaphors of darkness and light. In the Bible, darkness and light are common metaphors. Darkness is a metaphor for sin and its effects: misery, destruction, punishment, folly, ignorance (lack of knowledge of God), and death. Light is a metaphor for God and the Messiah and the good things that the Lord gives: prosperity, wisdom, knowledge of God, life, joy, happiness, laughter, hope, justice, truth, spiritual and material redemption, salvation, revelation, God’s presence, God’s glory, and God’s favor.
Since this is a quote from the Old Testament, it is recommended that you translate this verse using the same metaphors. But it may be necessary to add some additional words to make their meaning clear.
4:16a
the people living in darkness have seen a great light: This clause is the first part of the parallelism. It has the same meaning as 4:16b.
This clause contains two metaphors. Parts of these metaphors are implicit.
In the first metaphor, people who are sinful are compared to people who dwell/live in darkness. They are similar in that neither group of people can see things properly. People who live in spiritual darkness have difficulty seeing/recognizing their sin. They cannot see the truth.
In the second metaphor, the Messiah is compared to a great light. They are similar in that both show something. The Messiah shows people the way to salvation and eternal life.
Here are some other ways to translate these metaphors:
• Keep the metaphors, but explain them in the text. For example:
the people who live in ⌊spiritual/moral⌋ darkness have seen the great light ⌊of the Messiah⌋
-or-
the people who live in the darkness ⌊of sin⌋ have seen the great light ⌊of the Messiah⌋
• Change the metaphors to similes. For example:
People ⌊who sin are like people⌋ who live in darkness. ⌊When they see the Messiah, it is like⌋ they have seen a great light.
-or-
the people there ⌊live in sin. It is like they⌋ are living in darkness. But now they have ⌊seen the Messiah. It is like they have⌋ seen a great light
• Translate the metaphors literally but explain them in a footnote. Here is a sample footnote:
The “people living in darkness” refers figuratively to those who are sinful. They are like people walking around in the dark. The “great light” refers figuratively to the Messiah and his gospel. When Jesus came, the people finally saw the truth.
the people: The phrase the people refers to all the people who live in the land described in 4:15. It does not just refer to the Gentiles who are mentioned in 4:15c.
living: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as living is literally “sitting.” For example:
the people who sat in darkness (Revised Standard Version)
This Greek word is a figurative way to say “live.” This word refers to people “inhabiting” a house or a town or a country for a long time. So some English versions prefer the word “dwelling/living” rather than “sitting” which implies a temporary situation.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
dwelling (English Standard Version)
-or-
sit (NET Bible)
-or-
stay
have seen: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as have seen is past tense. It can also be translated as “saw.”
Isaiah wrote this prophecy hundreds of years before Jesus came to earth. But God spoke the words of this prophecy in the past tense as if viewing this event after Jesus began his work. In addition, Matthew wrote this book some years after Jesus went to heaven. So it may be natural in your language to follow the Greek and use the past tense here, like the Berean Standard Bible.
However, some English versions view this event from Isaiah’s time. So they use the future tense. For example:
will see (Good News Translation)
You should use the tense or aspect that is most natural in your language.
a great light: The phrase a great light refers figuratively to God’s truth as revealed in Jesus, the Messiah, and his gospel.
In this context, the word great refers to something bright. It does not refer to something large.
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
bright light (Contemporary English Version)
4:16b
on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned: This clause is the second part of the parallelism. It has the same meaning as 4:16a.
This clause contains two metaphors. Parts of these metaphors are implicit.
In the first metaphor, people who cannot recognize the truth are compared to those living in the land of the shadow of death. They are similar in that neither group of people can see things properly. People who cannot see spiritually cannot recognize the truth or their own sin.
In the second metaphor, the Messiah is compared to the sun. Just as the sun rises and shines on the earth, Jesus reveals the truth so that people can see it.
Here are some other ways to translate these metaphors:
• Keep the metaphors, but explain them in the text. For example:
These people ⌊cannot see the truth. It is as if they⌋ are living in the region and the shadow of death. ⌊But⌋ the light ⌊of the Messiah⌋ has dawned/shone on these people.
• Change the metaphors to similes. For example:
⌊The Messiah is like⌋ a light ⌊that⌋ has dawned on those people ⌊who cannot see the truth. It is as if they are⌋ living in the region and shadow of death.
• Translate the metaphors literally but explain them in a footnote. Here is a sample footnote:
The “those living in the land of the shadow of death” refers to people who are living in danger, fear, and hopelessness. It refers figuratively to people who are living in sin and cannot see/recognize the truth. The phrase “a light has dawned” refers figuratively to the Messiah and his gospel. When Jesus came, sinful people finally saw the truth.
living in the land of the shadow of death: The phrase in the land of the shadow of death is a figure of speech. This figure of speech can be restated as “the land where death casts its shadow.” Living in the shadow of death refers to living close to death. This is figurative language that refers to a land where people live in constant danger, fear, and hopelessness. It is a land of spiritual darkness. This clause is parallel to “living in darkness” in 4:16a.
In some languages, it is not possible to talk about death having a shadow or living in death’s shadow. If that is true in your language, here are some other ways to translate this clause:
living in the land of death and darkness
-or-
living in a land that is ⌊as if⌋ under clouds of death
-or-
living in the land of ⌊spiritual⌋ darkness
-or-
living close to death/danger and in darkness
Remember that this clause is parallel to “living in darkness” in 4:16a. So your translation of this clause should also have the idea of darkness in it.
a light has dawned: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a light has dawned is literally “a light has risen.” This clause refers to the sun rising and shining on everything on the earth. As mentioned above, it represents Jesus revealing God’s truth to people.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
A light has risen (God’s Word)
-or-
a light has shined (New Living Translation (2004))
As mentioned above for the verb “has shined,” some English versions use the future tense. They view this event from Isaiah’s time. For example:
a light will shine (Contemporary English Version)
Because this is a quotation from the prophet Isaiah, you should keep the figure of light if at all possible.
© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.