inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Gen 29:5)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the exclusive pronoun, excluding Jacob.

complete verse (Genesis 29:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 29:5:

  • Newari: “He said to them — ‘Do you know Laban, grandson of Nahor?'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Jacob asked again, ‘Are- you (pl.) -acquainted-with/Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?’ They replied, ‘Yes, we (excl.) are-acquainted-with/know (him).'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “He asked them, ‘Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?’ They replied, ‘Yes, we know him.'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

know (Japanese honorifics)

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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 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. When the referent is God or a person or persons to be greatly honored, the honorific prefix go- (御 or ご) can be used, as in go-zonji (ご存じ), a combination of “know” (zonji) and the honorific prefix go-.

(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. )

Translation commentary on Genesis 29:5

Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?: son of Nahor is used to refer to Laban as a descendant of Nahor. Laban is the son of Bethuel and grandson of Nahor. In some languages it will be necessary to say “grandson of Nahor.”

The reply of the herders takes the typical Hebrew form for expressing “Yes,” which is to repeat the questioner’s verb in a positive way, “We know him.” In some languages this reply will be a word equivalent to “Yes” or “Yes, what you say is so.”

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 .