The Greek and Hebrew that are translated as “consecration” or “consecrate” in English is translated in Poqomchi’ as “set apart” (when applying to a ritual not to a moral status). (Source: Robert Bascom)
In Newari it is translated as “make holy” (source: Newari Back Translation) and in Kwere as “put to holy work” when it refers to making someone or something suitable for priestly duties, when it refers to individual consecration outside of the priestly duty, “offer (yourselves) for my sake” is also used. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 7:16:
Kupsabiny: “I have chosen this house to be where I am worshipped forever, and I shall live here all days.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “For I have chosen this temple that my name may be here forever, and I have made it holy. My eyes and heart will always be here.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “for this temple I have-chosen and have-separated for me so-that (it) will-become a place where I will-be-honored until whenever/forever. I will-guard it and I will- always -take-care (of-it).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “I have chosen and have set apart/dedicated this temple in order that people may worship me there forever. I will always watch over it and protect it.” (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.
For now is literally “And now.” But since there is a causal relationship between this verse and the previous one, Contemporary English Version and Good News Translation begin with “because” while New Living Translation has simply “For.”
I have chosen and consecrated this house: The meanings of the two verbs here are similar, but the second verb completes the first one. God selected the Temple from all other houses and set it aside as a special place of worship. For consecrated see the comments on 2Chr 7.7.
That my name may be there for ever: See the comments on 2 Chr 6.5.
My eyes and my heart will be there for all time: The use of human body parts to speak of God may be considered inappropriate in some languages. The word eyes is intended to make the reader think of watching out for something, and heart reminds the reader of a deep concern. The intended meaning of this clause may be expressed as “I will never stop watching over it and I will always care for it” or “I will always watch over it and love it” (New Century Version). For all time is another way of saying for ever.
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 .
7:16a For I have now chosen and consecrated this temple
I have made this temple a holy place, and have chosen it -or-
This is to be my house, and I have sanctified it
7:16b so that My Name may be there forever. My eyes and My heart will be there for all time.
so that my name will always be here. I will always watch over it and care for it. -or-
as the place where I will always be. I will always be here, paying loving attention to it.
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