The Hebrew that is translated as “provoke (to anger)” in English is translated in Newari as “causing one’s anger to come out” (source: Newari Back Translation).
anger
The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated as “anger” or similar in English in this verse is translated with a variety of solutions (Bratcher / Nida says: “Since anger has so many manifestations and seems to affect so many aspects of personality, it is not strange that expressions used to describe this emotional response are so varied”).
- Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “be warm inside”
- Mende: “have a cut heart”
- Mískito: “have a split heart”
- Tzotzil: “have a hot heart”
- Mossi: “a swollen heart”
- Western Kanjobal: “fire of the viscera”
- San Blas Kuna: “pain in the heart”
- Chimborazo Highland Quichua: “not with good eye”
- Chichewa: “have a burning heart” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation) (see also anger burned in him)
- Citak: two different terms, one meaning “angry” and one meaning “offended,” both are actually descriptions of facial expressions. The former can be represented by an angry stretching of the eyes or by an angry frown. The latter is similarly expressed by an offended type of frown with one’s head lowered. (Source: Graham Ogden)
In Akan, a number of metaphors are used, most importantly abufuo, lit. “weedy chest” (the chest is seen as a container that contains the heart but can also metaphorically be filled with other fluids etc.), but also abufuhyeε lit. “hot/burning weedy chest” and anibereε, lit. “reddened eyes.” (Source: Gladys Nyarko Ansah in Kövecses / Benczes / Szelid 2024, p. 21ff.)
See also God’s anger and angry.
complete verse (2 Kings 22:17)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 22:17:
- Kupsabiny: “The people of Judah have refused me and they make sacrifices to the idols of other communities. I am so angry with those people that I can no longer bear it.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “They have abandoned me and burned incense before other gods. My anger has been provoked by the idols they have made with their hands. So my anger is bursting out against this place. And it will not subside.’” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “I will- surely -show my anger against this place and this will- not -be-stopped, for my people have-rejected me and they have-burnt incense in-worship to other gods. They have really cause- me -to-be-angry by what they have-done.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “I will do that because they have abandoned me, and they burn incense to honor other gods. They have caused me to become very angry by worshiping all the idols that they have made (OR, by all the wicked things that they have done), and my anger is like a fire that will not be put out.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)
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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.
(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 Kings 22:17
The structure of this verse may have to be altered since Revised Standard Version, like the Hebrew, begins with a subordinate clause indicating the reason for God’s anger. The text then goes on to say God is indeed angry with the people of Jerusalem (see verse 13). In many languages, however, the statement that God is angry will come naturally before the explanation of why this is so.
They have forsaken me: As in 1 Kgs 11.33, this expression may be rendered “they have stopped following me” or “they have abandoned me” (New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version).
Burned incense: See the comments at 1 Kgs 3.3.
Other gods: See the comments on 1 Kgs 9.6.
That they might provoke me to anger: See the discussion on the Hebrew verb here in 1 Kgs 14.9. The relationship of this clause to the preceding clause is uncertain. The Hebrew preposition rendered that may express either purpose or result. According to Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible (“so as to provoke my anger”), the people worshiped other gods in order to make God angry. However, according to Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version (“so that they have provoked me to anger”), the people have worshiped other gods, and the result is that God became angry. Most likely the author did not make such a fine distinction between purpose and result, but if a choice must be made in the receptor language, either is acceptable.
All the work of their hands: This refers to “all the idols their hands have made” (New International Version) or probably better “all the idols they have made with their own hands.”
My wrath will be kindled: See the same expression in verse 13. The future tense of Revised Standard Version may be more naturally rendered as a present tense. While it is true that the result of God’s anger had not yet been experienced, it is clear that he was already angry. Some may say “I am very angry and my anger will not go away.”
This place: As in the previous verse, this may refer to the capital city of Jerusalem or to the whole country. But the latter sense is more likely.
It will not be quenched continues the image of divine anger as comparable to a fire: it is like a fire that cannot be put out. But if the imagery of a fire is not appropriate, translators may consider a nonfigurative rendering such as “I am furious” (Contemporary English Version).
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 .
SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Kings 22:17
22:17a because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods,
The people have left/abandoned me and they have burned incense to other gods.
-or-
For these people have forgotten Yahweh and instead they have burnt incense to ⌊please/honor⌋ other gods.
22:17b that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands.
They have angered me by making idols.
-or-
They have made Yahweh angry because of the idol gods they made for themselves.
22:17c My wrath will be kindled against this place and will not be quenched.’
So my anger will burn ⌊like a fire⌋ against this land/place. Nothing/No one will be able to cool/stop it.’
-or-
And so Yahweh in his anger will severely punish the people here. Nothing will make him stop.
22:17a-c (reordered)
I am furious with this place and will certainly punish it, because its people have turned away from me! They have started to worship other gods, idols they have made themselves.’
-or-
Nothing can prevent Yahweh from punishing this place. Its people have made him very angry by making their own idols and worshiping/honoring them instead of him.
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