inform / tell (Japanese honorifics)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

The concept of “informing” (“telling”) is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as o-tsuge (お告げ), combining “inform / tell” (tsuge) with the respectful prefix o-. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also informing (Japanese honorifics).

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("lead out")

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, michibikidas-are-ru (導き出される) or “lead out” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 1 Kings 8:53

The second person singular pronoun thou is emphatic in Hebrew. Revised English Bible attempts to represent this in translation by saying “You yourself.”

Separate them: In the context it is clear that the separation of the people of Israel is for the purpose of making them belong to God in a special way (to be thy heritage). Some other ways of speaking about this extraordinary selection are “singled them out” (Revised English Bible), “set them apart” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), and “chose them” (Good News Translation, New Century Version).

All the peoples of the earth: As in verses 43 and 60, the meaning is “all nations on earth” (Moffatt) or “all the nations of the world” (New International Version).

Thy heritage: See the comments on verse 51.

As thou didst declare through Moses is literally “as you spoke by the hand of Moses.” This is perhaps a reference to Lev 20.24-26, which speaks of the separation of the people of Israel from other nations.

Fathers: Since the events described here were many generations in the past, this will be more accurately translated “ancestors” (New Revised Standard Version) or “forefathers” (Revised English Bible).

O Lord GOD: This address to God consists of the two Hebrew words usually translated “Lord” and “LORD” in English (ʾadonai and YHWH in Hebrew) when they occur separately (refer to the discussion on “Translating Lord and LORD” in “Translating 1–2 Kings,” pages 11-12). When the two names occur together, some adjustments may need to be made. Compare Good News Translation “Sovereign LORD” and God’s Word “LORD God.” One African language says “Lord Yaawe.” Its occurrence at the very end of the prayer may be unnatural in certain languages. It has already been noted that Good News Translation and Bible en français courant shift it to the beginning of verse 52. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, on the other hand, places it toward the beginning of this verse, following the emphatic pronoun. And Revised English Bible has it in the middle of this verse. Translators should consider where such a use of the name of God would be most natural in their own language.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Kings 8:53

8:53a For You, O Lord GOD, as Your inheritance, have set them apart from all the peoples of the earth,

For you decided to separate/select them from all the nations of the earth to be your own people.
-or-
For you yourself chose them, and not the other peoples of the earth, to be your special possession.

8:53b as You spoke through Your servant Moses

This is what you told ⌊them⌋ through your servant Moses.
-or-
Through your servant Moses you told them they would always be your people.

8:53c when You brought our fathers out of Egypt.”

You told them this, when you, Lord Yahweh, caused our fathers/ancestors to leave Egypt.”
-or-
You promised them this when you led our ancestors out of Egypt.”

© 2020 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.