Honorary "rare" construct denoting God ("come")

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 rare (られ) 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, ko-rare-ru (来られる) or “come” is used.

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

complete verse (2 Samuel 13:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 13:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “Jonadab said to Amnon that, ‘Pretend as if you are sick and go and lie down in bed. Then if/when your father comes to see you, tell him that, ‘Father, tell Tamar to come and give me food. I want her to prepare for me food here so that I watch and she alone gives me food.’ ’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then Jonadab said to him, "Lie down in bed, saying that you are ill. When your father comes to see you, speak to him like this, ‘Do [me] a kindness [and] let my younger sister Tamar come and give me some food to eat. Preparing food in my presence, I will see and I will eat from her hand what she prepares for me."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Jonadab said, ‘You (sing.) lay-down, and pretend-to-be-ill. When your father visits you, tell him that he will-allow Tamar to come to you to give- you -something-to-eat. Tell him also that you want to see Tamar preparing food at your side and you want that she should be- the -one-to-feed-by-hand you.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Jonadab said to him, ‘Lie down on your bed, and pretend that you are sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Allow my half-sister Tamar to come and give me some food to eat. She can prepare the food while I am watching her. Then she can serve it to me herself.’’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

respectful form of "do" (nasaru)

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 of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, nasaru (なさる), the respectful form of suru (する) or “do,” is used.

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

Japanese benefactives (nasatte)

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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, nasatte (なさって) or “do” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”

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

Japanese benefactives (yō ni shite)

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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, yō ni shite (ようにして) or “do so (so that) / make it like” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”

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

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 13:5

Pretend to be ill: or more literally “become ill” or “make yourself ill” as in verse 2, using the reflexive form of the verb. The idea of pretending may have to be expressed in some languages by using a verb that requires an object indicating who is deceived by the pretension. Some may say “tell people that you are ill” or “trick people into believing that you are ill.”

Comes to see you: it becomes clear in verse 7 that Amnon was not in the royal palace but in his own house. In some languages this information may determine exactly how this expression is translated.

Let my sister Tamar come: these words contain an untranslated Hebrew particle of entreaty. See the comments on verse 6 and also on 1 Sam 2.36. Compare Revised English Bible, “Please let my sister Tamar come.”

Give me bread to eat: literally “cause me to eat bread.” The word bread is often used in Scripture to refer to food in general. This is almost certainly the case here. The two phrases give me bread to eat and prepare the food do not express two completely different ideas. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh captures the idea of these two expressions and avoids giving the impression that two different kinds of food are intended by wording this part of the verse as follows: “Let … Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in front of me….” In this way the food refers back to “something to eat.” This may be a helpful model for other languages.

In my sight: the idea here is that the food preparation should take place in the presence of Amnon. It was expected that the whole affair would then be a private matter with only Amnon and Tamar present.

See it, and eat it: literally, “see and eat.” The Hebrew has no direct object. Revised Standard Version says “see it [the food],” and Good News Translation translates “see her.” Either is possible. But it is likely that what is meant is “see her cooking the food.” Contemporary English Version has “watch her cook something for you.”

The words eat it from her hand probably should not be understood literally, that is, that Tamar was to put the food into his mouth. The sense is probably “take it from her own hands” (Revised English Bible).

The quotation of Jonadab’s words contains another direct quotation of what Amnon is instructed to say to his father when he comes to visit him. In quite a few languages this kind of structure will prove to be very awkward and unnatural. It may be better to change the quotation within the quotation into indirect speech. That part of the verse will then read something like this:

• Ask him to send your sister Tamar to prepare some food for you as you watch. And ask him to let her serve it to you herself.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .