17Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.
The Hebrew that is translated into English as forms of “(to not) harden heart” is translated into other languages with their own vivid idioms; for example, Thai uses “black-hearted” (source: Bratcher / Hattoon, p. 272), Pökoot uses makany kwoghïghitu mötöwekwo: “do not let become hard your heads” (source: Gerrit van Steenbergen), Anuak has “make liver strong” (source: Loren Bliese), and The Hebrew that is translated as “divination” or similar in English is translated in Elhomwe has “dried heart” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext).
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is translated colloquially as wie vernagelt or “obtuse” (in Mark 6:52 and 8:17).
While Moba has a rich metaphorical library using the concept of “heart” (pal) it follows very different paradigms compared to Greek, Hebrew and English concepts. The parallel expression of “hardened heart” means “courageous” or “encouraged” (see hearts burning) so in the 2008 Moba Yendu Kadapaaonn translation various constructs are used to translate “hardness of heart,” including “not willing to change one’s mind” (in Mark 3:5) or “make temptation into the heart” (John 12:40). (Source: Bedouma Joseph Kobaike in Le Sycomore 17/1, 2024, p. 3ff. )
The Hebrew, Latin, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated into English as “chariot” is translated into Anuak as “canoe pulled by horse.” “Canoe” is the general term for “vehicle” (source: Loren Bliese). Similarly it is translated in Lokạạ as ukwaa wạ nyanyang ntuuli or “canoe that is driven by horses.” (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )
Other translations include:
Chichicapan Zapotec: “ox cart” (in Acts 8) (ox carts are common vehicles for travel) (source: Loren Bliese)
Chichimeca-Jonaz, it is translated as “little house with two feet pulled by two horses” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
HausaCommon Language Bible as keken-doki or “cart of donkey” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
The term that is used for monarchs in ancient Egypt and is transliterated as “Pharaoh” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language with the sign signifying the “fake metal beard (postiche)” that was used by Pharaohs during official functions. (Source: Tarja Sandholm)
The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin that is translated as “army” in English is translated in Chichewa as “group of warriors.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 14:17:
Kupsabiny: “I will make those Egyptians to be hard/dry headed to follow you into the sea wanting to get/catch you. Those words/events will bring me honor/glory because I will destroy that ruler with his soldiers including those who ride those horses and those who ride in chariots which horses pull.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will chase after you there as well. I will destroy Pharaoh’s soldiers, horses and chariots to show my greatness.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “I will-harden the hearts of the Egiptohanon so-that they will-chase you (plur.). But I will-destroy the king and his soldiers, horse riders, and chariots. In this way I will-be-honored.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Bariai: “And yo, I will make so that the Isip people are unwavering and so be persistent in following them. And I will fight against the great chief of the Isip people together with his people of fighting and their karises and karis owners (lit. fathers), and so I [will] surpass them. In this action of mine, people will lift up my name.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
Opo: “And I will make heart of Egyptians it might be hard, and they will follow you. Therefore, king of Egypt, and his army, and chariot of horse his, and horsemen his, because I will conquer them, they will call my name with it.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
English: “I will make the Egyptians stubborn, so that they will try to follow you. And then as a result of what I will do to the king and his army and his chariots and his horsemen, my people will praise/thank me.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.
And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians is literally “and I, behold me, the hardener of the heart of the Egyptians.” The emphasis on I and “behold me” should be seen in contrast with the emphasis on “you” in verse 16. New Jerusalem Bible shows this contrast with “Your part is to raise your staff … while I, for my part, shall make the Egyptians so stubborn.”
So that they will go in after them is literally “and they will enter after them.” As in verse 16, the idea of so that is suggested by the context. Revised English Bible changes them to “you” (plural). Otherwise it is not clear whether Moses is to stay behind or to cross with the Israelites. It is recommended that translators follow Revised English Bible‘s model. Contemporary English Version agrees with this interpretation: “they will go after you.”
And I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host is exactly the same as in verse 4. His chariots and his horsemen are the same words used in verse 9.
Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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