serve

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “serve,” “minister,” “walk with,” or “service” is translated in Igede as myị ẹrụ or “agree with message (of the one you’re serving).” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In Quetzaltepec Mixe, “serve” is translated as “obey.” (Source: Robert Bascom)

complete verse (2 Chronicles 7:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 7:17:

  • Kupsabiny: “God continued to say, ‘And you, if you do what I am telling you and keep my laws and decisions like your father did,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If you serve me faithfully like your father [did], and if [you] obey my decrees, if you do all that I have told [you], ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘And you (sing.), if you follow me same as your father David, and if you (sing.) do all what I have- you (sing.) -to-do and obey my decrees and commands,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘And as for you, if you obey me as David your father did, and if you do all that I command you to do, and obey all my laws and decrees,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

David

The name that is transliterated as “David” in English means “beloved.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying king and a sling (referring to 1 Samuel 17:49 and 2 Samuel 5:4). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Elizabeth” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is only the sling. (See here ).


“David” in German Sign Language (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about David (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: David .

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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 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.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on 2 Chronicles 7:17

Verses 17-18 form a conditional sentence. Verse 17 expresses the conditions that Solomon must fulfill, and verse 18 states what God will do if Solomon does what is expected of him.

And as for you is literally “And you.” The second person pronoun here in Hebrew places focus on Solomon. Revised Standard Version attempts to capture the force of the Hebrew by saying as for you (so also New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, English Standard Version). Revised English Bible begins the verse with “If you, for your part.” But the focus may be maintained by the use of an emphatic pronoun in other languages or by using some other means; for example, Contemporary English Version says “Solomon, you.”

If you walk before me, as David your father walked: The use of the verb walk to refer to the behavior or way of living of a person is common in Scripture (see 2 Chr 6.14), but a literal translation may not convey the same meaning in some languages. Some may prefer to render walk before me as “serve me” (New Century Version), “faithfully follow me” (New Living Translation), or “be faithful to me” (God’s Word). An alternative model for both these clauses is “if you live in my sight as your father David lived” (similarly Revised English Bible).

Doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my ordinances: These words spell out clearly the meaning of walk before me. For statutes and ordinances, see the comments on 1 Chr 22.13.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Chronicles 7:17

7:17a And as for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked,

“And you, (sing) you must always conduct yourself in my sight with a sincere heart in the same way that David your father did.
-or-
“And for your part, Solomon, you must serve me faithfully. David your father served me faithfully and you must do the same.

7:17b doing all I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and ordinances,

You must do everything that I order you to do, and obey my decrees and regulations.
-or-
You must obey my commands and follow all the laws and requirements I have given you.

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