second person pronoun with low register

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 show different degree of politeness is through the choice of a second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person.

In these verses, however, omae (おまえ) is used, a cruder second person pronoun, that Jesus for instance chooses when chiding his disciples.

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

See also first person pronoun with low register and third person pronoun with low register.

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 1:7

He said to them: The pronoun He may be better translated in some languages by the noun phrase “the king” (Good News Translation, New International Version, Bible en français courant) or “Ahaziah” (Contemporary English Version, La Bible du Semeur, Parole de Vie). Since a question follows, the verb said may be better rendered “asked” or “inquired.”

What kind of man was he…?: The Hebrew word translated kind is more literally “judgment” and its use in this context seems odd. But the same word is used in a similar way in Jdg 13.12. Some commentators think that this term has to do with the “distinctive characteristics” of the person. Translators must decide whether it refers to the outward appearance (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) or the less visible, inner character of the person (Revised Standard Version and many other English versions). It is clear that the messengers at least understood the question to refer to the outward appearance by the way they responded. But this does not necessarily mean that this was the intention of the question.

Good News Translation has judged it unnecessary to repeat the words who came to meet you and told you these things since this would be implied in the context. Translators should follow whichever model seems closest to what would be done in a similar situation in their own language.

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