oppress

The Hebrew that is translated as “oppress” in various forms in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) with kupondereza, In a literal sense, this word means stepping on someone. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

drink

In Telugu different verbs for humans drinking (tāgu / తాగు) and animals drinking (cēḍu / చేడు) are required.

complete verse (Ezekiel 34:18)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 34:18:

  • Kupsabiny: “Hey, is the good grass not enough for you (plur.)? So why are you trampling down the grass that you do not eat? You drink clean water and muddy what you do not drink to become dirty.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Some of you were not satisfied to graze the good grazing-field; you even trampled the other grazing-field/pasture-land. You were not satisfied to drink the clear water; you even muddied the other water.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “It is bad that some of you keep the best pastures for yourselves. It is even worse that you trample the good grass with your feet. You yourselves drink the clear water. But with your feet you cause the other water to become muddy.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (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 formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

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

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 34:18

In verses 18-19 God addresses the rams and billy goats, that is, the more powerful members of the community. God accuses them of selfishly taking the best of everything for themselves and deliberately spoiling what is left over, so that the other sheep and goats get nothing.

Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture…?: This is a rhetorical question expecting the answer “No!” Translators may keep the question form by beginning with “Isn’t it bad enough that you…?” or they may use a statement, such as “It is bad enough that you…” or “It is not right that you….” In most languages it is better to render such rhetorical questions as statements (so Good News Translation). To feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture means the male sheep and goats eat the best grass, but they walk all over the rest of the grass.

To drink of clear water, that you must foul the rest with your feet: They also drink the clean water, and make the rest of the water muddy with their feet (compare 32.2).

One model for this verse is:

• You rams and billy goats, what you do is not right. You are not satisfied with eating the best grass, and so you also walk over the rest of the grass. You are not satisfied to drink the clean water, for you then make the rest of the water muddy with your feet.

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 .