Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 28:7:
Kupsabiny: “I shall support his rulership forever if he continues to follow my decisions and laws/commandments with one stomach as he is doing today.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “And if he is careful and continues to obey all my decrees and commands like he does now, I will establish his kingdom forever.’” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “And if he will-continue to follow my commands just-like what he is-doing now, I will-cause- his descendants -to-reign forever/[lit. until whenever].’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “I will enable his kingdom to endure forever if he continues to obey my laws and commands, like you are doing now.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.
This verse continues and completes the direct quotation of what the LORD said to David.
I will establish his kingdom for ever: See the comments on 1 Chr 17.11.
If he continues resolute in keeping my commandments and my ordinances: The Hebrew verb rendered continues resolute often means “to be strong” or “to have courage.” Here its sense is “perseveres” (New American Bible) or “continues” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation). The Hebrew noun translated ordinances has a wide range of meanings, including “customs,” “commands,” and “judgments” (see the comments on 1 Chr 22.13). Here it is synonymous with commandments. It may be possible to find a different word in the receptor language for each of these nouns, but it is not necessary to do so since a clear distinction does not seem intended.
As he is today is literally “as today.” Revised Standard Version inserts the pronoun he. Good News Translation and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh also do this by saying “as he does now.” But it is also possible to understand the sense of this clause to be “as you [David] do today.” Compare NET Bible, which has “as you are doing this day.”
In some languages the conditional clause will have to come before the main clause. New Century Version does this by rendering the whole verse as “He is obeying my laws and commands now. If he continues to obey them, I will make his kingdom strong forever.”
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
I will make sure his royal dynasty never ends -or-
He will give Solomon a permanent kingdom
28:7b if he resolutely carries out My commandments and ordinances,
if he faithfully follows my commands/laws -or-
if he obeys all Yahweh’s laws and commands.
28:7c as is being done this day.’
like he does now.”’ -or-
He should obey them ⌊all the days of his life⌋ in the same way that he does now.”
28:7a–c (reordered)
If Solomon continues to obey all my commands and instructions, I will make his kingdom last forever.” -or-
He must obey all my commands and laws as he is already doing. Then I will make his descendants rule forever.”
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