know someone (have sexual relations)

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated by some English translations with the euphemism “to know someone” and by others as “be intimate with someone” or “have sexual relations with someone” is translated in Cherokee as “becoming wise” or “becoming experienced.” (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 30)

In Tongan, it is translated as fe’iloaki which “is generally reserved for sexual intimacy bearing the traditional cultural notion of “meeting to make a home.” Source: Ma’afu Palu in The Bible Translator 2022, p. 240ff.)

complete verse (Genesis 19:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 19:8:

  • Kankanaey: “Here now are my two young-ladies of whom no one has yet taken their womanhood. I’ll just bring- them -out so-that you can do whatever to them. Just-so-long-as you leave-alone these men who are my visitors, because it’s mandatory that I-watch-over them.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I have two daughters who are not yet married. I will bring them out, and you do what you like. Don’t do anything to these men. They are guests who have come to my house.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If you (pl.) want, I have two children who are still unmarried-girls. I will-give them to you (pl.) and you can-do-[(your)-desire] whatever you will-do to them. But you (pl.) just do- not -harm these two men, for they are my visitors and I must/should protect them.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Listen to me. I have two daughters who have never had sex with any man. Let me bring them out to you now, and you can do with them whatever pleases you. But don’t do anything to these men, because they are guests in my house, so I must protect them!'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Japanese benefactives (yō ni shite)

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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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, yō ni shite (ようにして) or “do so (so that) / make it like” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”

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

request / beg (Japanese honorifics)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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. The concept of “requesting” is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as o-negai (お願い), combining “request” (negai) with the respectful prefix o (お).

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

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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. )

Japanese benefactives (-naide)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, -naide (ないで) or “do not (for their sake)” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”

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

Translation commentary on Genesis 19:8

Behold, I have two daughters who have not known man: the desperate Lot trying to protect his guests offers them his two daughters, but this only seems to anger the men of Sodom. For Behold see 1.31. Not known man again refers to having sexual relations. Good News Translation and others translate “who are still virgins.” Translators need to take particular caution in using a word for “virgin,” because it can mean different things in different societies. In some cultures a “virgin” may have had sex but is not yet initiated into a particular cult. However, many languages have expressions for sexual relations that can be used naturally here; for example, “I have two daughters whom men have not gone to yet” and “I’ve got two girls here; men have never touched those two.”

Let me bring them out to you: Lot places his responsibility as host above his obligation to protect his own family.

Do to them as you please: that is, “Do whatever you want with them.” If this must be stated more precisely, we may say, for example, “You [plural] may lie with them.”

Only do nothing to these men: that is, “leave these men alone,” “do not touch these men.” The word order in Hebrew emphasizes these men and thus makes a strong contrast between the daughters and the guests: “But these men, don’t do anything to them….” This is not brought out in English versions but is easily and naturally expressed in many other languages; for example, “but these two strangers, you can’t touch them because….”

For they have come under the shelter of my roof: for introduces a clause of reason. This may sometimes be translated “because”; or in some languages the order of clauses will show the reason relation to the previous clause. This order may sometimes be reversed; for example, “These two men have come to sleep in my house, and I must take care of them; so you cannot do anything to them.” Come under … roof is a figurative expression meaning “they are under my protection,” “I am bound to protect them,” or “it is my duty to look after them.” We may translate verse 8 as “Listen please, I will bring out my two daughters who have never slept with a man. You can do as you wish with them; but don’t harm these men, because they are my guests and I must protect them.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .