complete verse (Ezekiel 22:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 22:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “See what all the leaders of Israel are like and how (they) cause people suffering while boasting of their power to murder!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Look-at each leader of Israel who lives in you, they use their power to kill.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Think about how each of your Israeli kings have used their power to cause people to be murdered.” (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 Ezekiel 22:6

Behold, the princes of Israel in you, every one according to his power, have been bent on shedding blood: This verse shows the political disorder in Jerusalem—the leaders of the people were corrupt and were murdering their opponents. The attention-getting Hebrew particle hinneh rendered Behold, highlights the words that follow. The princes of Israel in you refers to Jerusalem’s leaders. The Hebrew word for princes does not imply royalty (see 21.12), but simply “chiefs” or “rulers” (New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible). The pronoun you refers to Jerusalem. Every one according to his power refers to the way the leaders misused their position and power for their own selfish purposes, even if it meant killing others. Have been bent on shedding blood means they were determined to kill others. Contemporary English Version renders this verse well by saying “Your own leaders use their power to murder.” Bible en français courant is also good with “Among you, each ruler abuses his power and commits murders.” New Century Version says “Jerusalem, see how each ruler of Israel in you has been trying to kill people.” Another possible model is:

• Look, the leaders of Israel who are within your walls abuse their power and are determined to commit murders.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .