Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 27:8:
Kupsabiny: “Write on those stones all these words of the laws to be seen well.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Write this whole law carefully on the stones that you have erected."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “And you (plur.) will-write clearly these laws of God on these stones that you (plur.) coated- with lime -around.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “And, when you write these laws on those stones, you must write them very clearly.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
The Greek, Hebrew, and Ge’ez that is translated in English as “Law” or “law” is translated in Mairasi as oro nasinggiei or “prohibited things” (source: Enggavoter 2004) and in Noongar with a capitalized form of the term for “words” (Warrinya) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
In Yucateco the phrase that is used for “law” is “ordered-word” (for “commandment,” it is “spoken-word”) (source: Nida 1947, p. 198) and in Central Tarahumara it is “writing-command.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
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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 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. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-oshie (みおしえ) or “teaching (of God)” in the referenced verses.
This verse is a repetition of the first part of verse 3, with very plainly added. In order to avoid the appearance of unnecessary repetition, translators may use the following model:
• Don’t forget to write out a copy of these laws on the stones that you are going to set up. Make sure that the writing is easy to read.
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 .
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