serve

The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “serve,” “minister,” “walk with,” or “service” is translated in Igede as myị ẹrụ or “agree with message (of the one you’re serving).” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

In Quetzaltepec Mixe, “serve” is translated as “obey.” (Source: Robert Bascom)

complete verse (Genesis 30:26)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 30:26:

  • Kankanaey: “Give-permission also to my spouses and our (excl.) children whom I-have-worked-for in serving you (sing.) so-that we (excl.) will go-home. You (sing.) most-certainly know (rebuke particle) the goodness of the way I have-served you (sing.).'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Please allow me to take along my wives and children which I have because I worked at your place. You know what good work I did at your place.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Give me my wives (for) whom I have-served you and my children, for I will- now -go- home. You (sing.) have-known how my service to you (has-been).'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “You know the work that I have done for you for a long time to get my wives. So let me take my wives and my children, and leave.'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Japanese benefactives (-sete)

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. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kao (御顔) or “face (of God)” in the referenced verses.

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

know (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. 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. )

respectful form of "give" (kudasaru)

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 of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, kudasaru (下さる), a respectful form of kureru (くれる) or “give” is used.

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

See also respectful form of “give” (tamawaru) and give (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on Genesis 30:26

Give me my wives and my children: it may strike translators as strange that Jacob should ask Laban for his own wives and children. This is apparently not just polite language. According to von Rad, Jacob, who is a stranger and without property, is not a free man to go as he wishes. On the contrary he is dependent upon Laban. As Laban will say in 31.43, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children.”

For whom I have served you: technically Jacob worked for Laban only for the wives. It is in this sense that Speiser translates “Give me my wives, for whom I have served you, and my children….” This is followed by several other translations and is a model that is recommended to translators.

As noted at the beginning of verse 25, the verb I have served must be understood in this context as meaning “I have [now] completed my service.” A model translation that expresses this, and which also changes the order of the two clauses, says “I have worked hard to finish paying for my two wives. Please give them to me, with my children, and we will go.”

For you know the service which I have given you: this statement alludes to the fact that Jacob’s work has been outstanding and has increased Laban’s wealth, as Laban admits in verse 27. We may translate, for example, “you know how much good you have got from my work” or “you know how much my work has helped you.”

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 .