complete verse (Exodus 5:18)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 5:18:

  • Kupsabiny: “Now get away from here and go and do work. No one is going to give you straws, but I want to see to it that you make the bricks the same as usual.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Now go and do your work. You won’t be getting a piece of straw but still you must give the same number of brick.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “[You (plur.)] go-back now to your (plur.) work! You (plur.) will- no-longer -be-given straw, but you (plur.) are- still -to-make particularly the same number of bricks.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “Okay, return to your (pl.) work! We won’t give you dry weeds to you, but you must make many hard stones similarly as always.’” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “you return to work. There is no grass which they will give you. And you make bricks which be sufficient!»” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “So go and get back to work! We are not going to give you any straw, but you must keep making the same number of bricks!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

2nd person pronoun with low register (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 second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person.

In these verses, however, omae (おまえ) is used, a cruder second person pronoun, that Jesus for instance chooses when chiding his disciples. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also first person pronoun with low register and third person pronoun with low register.

Translation commentary on Exod 5:18

The command to the foremen, Go now, and work, is literally “And now go, work.” The idea of “get back to work” (Good News Translation) or “get on with your work” (New English Bible), is implied from the previous verses. For no straw shall be given you is literally “and straw will not be given to you,” in contrast with the similar expression in verse 16. This may also be expressed as “They will not provide you with any straw.”

Yet and for (previous clause) translate the same Hebrew conjunction waw. You shall deliver is literally “you will give,” the same word as in the preceding clause. The same number of bricks is literally “the [expected] measurement of bricks.” Here again is reference to an expected “quota of bricks” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Jerusalem Bible) to be made on a daily basis.

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 .