complete verse (Romans 10:8)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 10:8:

  • Uma: “Musa also says like this: ‘The News of the Lord is just close-by, it is on our lips and it is in our heart.’ This [cataphoric] is the news that we announce to all people, the news of faith:” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because it is said in the holy-book, ‘God’s message is there with you already. You are able to/can speak it and put it away/store it in your livers.’ That means the message we (excl.) proclaimed to you about how God forgives and considers straight the ones who trust Isa Almasi.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For there is another written word of God which tells us that it is very easy for us to believe in the word of God, as for the word of God, it is already here with us, and it’s possible for us to tell it to other people. And as for this word of God about believing in Christ, this is also what we preached.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because God’s word is near you. It is in your minds and you can tell-about it.’ This word of God is what we (excl.) are preaching concerning faith saying:” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now it isn’t necessary that you search about this word concerning how people’s sins are cleared. Because the word is written which says: ‘This word now, is not far from you. You are now speaking this word. It is in your hearts now’ it says. This word it is speaking of is the word I tell you to believe in.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Highland Totonac: “But what does it say? It says that God’s word, it is already close by, even so that you can say it and you can store it in your heart. It is this same word that we preach to you about faith.”
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “Well, what does the word of God say about the straight life? This is what it says: The word about the straight life isn’t hard to find. Just say it with your mouth and believe it with your heart. That word that I told you when I said that it is necessary for you to have confidence in Christ.” (Source for this and above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Deuteronomy 30:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 30:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “You have the word/message and it is in your heads so that you can follow (it).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “No, this word that you are to obey is right before you, in your mouth and in your heart.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Those words are in you (plur.), in your (plur.) mouth and heart itself, therefore you (plur.) can-obey it.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “You do not need to do that because his commands are here with you. You know them and you have memorized them/put them in your minds. So you can easily obey them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

word / command (of God) (Japanese honorifics)

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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-kotoba (みことば) or “word (of God)” in the referenced verses.

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

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 30:14

Is very near you: that is, it is accessible, it is understandable. Contemporary English Version has “No, these commands are nearby.”

In your mouth: that is, in language you understand and speak; so we may say “you quote them.”

In your heart: that is, you already know it. Good News Translation reverses the order of the two verbs: “You know it and can quote it.”

So that you can do it: or “so now obey it” (Good News Translation); Contemporary English Version has “All you have to do is obey.”

For similar language to this, see in 6.6-7; 11.18.

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 .