Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding Felix).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 24:4:
Uma: “But, so as to not waste the Governor’s time needlessly, I hope for / trust in love/kindness from [you] Governor to please listen to my few words.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “I do not want to delay you long,’ he said, ‘but I beg your forgiveness, do listen to us (excl.) for a short while.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Now it is not my desire that you be detained by what I have to say, but I beg you to listen for a while to what I have to tell you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But I don’t want to distract you (sing.) (i.e. from normal duties), so if possible may you (sing.) please have-patience to listen to this little that we (excl.) will say.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Even though we (excl.) will disturb your work, we (excl.) want you to let yourself be delayed even for just a short while, for if possible/acceptable you will just listen to this talk of ours(excl.).” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
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 (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The Greek that is translated as “(in order) to detain your no further” or similar in English is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as gomeiwaku o okake (ご迷惑をおかけ), where o-kake (おかけ) stands for “to cause (nuisance)” and is marked with respectful prefix o-.
Similarly, “listen” is translated as o-ki (お聞), combining “listen / hear” (ki) and o-negai (お願い), combining “request” (negai) with o- and “graciousness” is translated as go-kanyō (ご寛容), combining “kindness” (-kanyō) with the honorific prefix go- (御 or ご), which is either used when referent is God or a person to be greatly honored.
Furthermore, mōshiageru (申し上げる) is used, the respectful form of iu (言う) or “say / speak.”
I do not want to take up too much of your time is understood in this same fashion by most other translations, though it is faintly possible that the meaning may be “I do not want to tire you out.” Ancient orators, as well as modern, felt it advisable to promise their hearers only a short speech. To be kind and listen (literally “to listen with kindness”) is an expression which appears frequently in the papyri and is often used in complimentary addresses to officials. Our brief account may be rendered as “but we shall say briefly,” “what I shall say briefly,” or “what I shall say briefly on behalf of us here.”
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
in order not to burden you any further: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as burden:
(1) It means delay here. For example:
detain (Revised Standard Version)
(Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, English Standard Version, God’s Word, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, New Century Version)
(2) It means weary here. For example:
bore (New Living Translation (2004))
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New American Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, King James Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because of the scholarly support for it. Other ways to translate this phrase according to interpretation (1) are:
to take up too much of your time (Good News Translation) -or-
so that I may not delay you any further (NET Bible) -or-
to not waste the Governor’s time
24:4b
your indulgence: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as indulgence refers to being gentle and patient. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
with your customary graciousness (New Revised Standard Version) -or-
be patient with us (Contemporary English Version)
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.