complete verse (Deuteronomy 1:29)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 1:29:

  • Kupsabiny: “But I said to those people at that time, ‘Do not be afraid of those people and do not be cowards.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Then I said to you, ‘Do not let your heart throb with fear, seeing them, do not be afraid. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘Then I said to you (plur.), ‘[You (plur.)] do- not -be-nervous or afraid of them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then I said to your ancestors, ‘Do not be afraid at all/even a little bit of those people!” (Source: Translation for Translators)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (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 formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

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

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 1:29

There is no substantial difference between the two verbs translated be in dread and be … afraid. The verb for be in dread is used less frequently than the other verb and appears also at 7.21; 20.3; 21.6. Another way to express this is “Don’t let your hearts fall [or, melt] when you think about these people.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .