angry

The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “(was or became) angry” in English is translated in Kwere as “saw anger.” In Kwere, emotions are always paired with sensory verbs (seeing or smelling or hearing). (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Bariai it is “to have grumbling interiors” (source: Bariai Back Translation).

See also anger and feel (terror, pain, suffering, anxiety).

addressing one's or someone else's father respectfully in Japanese (父上)

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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 important aspect of addressing someone else in one’s or someone else’s family is by selecting the correct word when referring to them. One way to do this is through the usage of an appropriate title within a conversation as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

When the speaker humbly refers to his or her father in the presence of respected interlocutor(s), chichi (父) is often used (see addressing one’s father humbly / respectfully in Japanese (父)).

In some conversations, archaic honorific forms for “father” are chosen that also contain chichi (父) and typically indicate a greater level of respect. That includes chichi-ue (父上). An interesting contrast between the use of of chichi and chichi-ue can be found when there is a reference to “my father and your father.” The former is addressed with chichi and the latter with chichi-ue (for more see 1 Kings 15:19, 1 Kings 20:34, and 2 Chronicles 16:3 along with addressing one’s father humbly / respectfully in Japanese (父)). (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

complete verse (Genesis 31:35)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 31:35:

  • Newari: “Rachel said to her father — ‘Do not be angry with me, father. Because I am menstruating [lit.: because I am not to be touched] it is not appropriate for me to stand up before you.’ So, no matter how much he searched, [he] was not able to find the idols of the house.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Raquel said to him, ‘Father, [you (sing.)] do-not-be angry if I am- not -able-to-stand for (I) have my monthly-period.’ And continuing Laban searched but he was- not [emphasis marker] -able-to-find his little-gods.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Rachel said to her father, ‘Do not be angry with me, sir, but I cannot get up in your presence to show respect for you, because I am having my monthly menstrual period.’ So when Laban searched some more, he did not find the wooden idols.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Japanese benefactives (-naide)

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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, -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 31:35

Rachel’s deception of her father now gives the narrator the opportunity to ridicule Laban’s idols.

Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you: the Hebrew expression is idiomatic: “Let [it] not burn in the eyes of my lord.” My lord is ʾadoni, a form of address used by an inferior addressing a superior. Note Good News Translation “sir.” If an equivalent form of address is not available, we may say, for example, “my father.”

Cannot rise: that is, “because I cannot stand up, sir.” The assumption is that Rachel should not remain seated in the presence of her father, who is standing as he searches through her belongings. If in the culture of the translation it is not understood why she would be expected to stand up, a note may be added, or we may adjust the text to say, for example, “Please do not be angry, sir, that I cannot stand up to show you respect” or “Please … cannot stand up as is the polite custom.”

The way of women is upon me translates the Hebrew literally. The situation is a daughter speaking to her father, and so she avoids a direct reference to her menstrual condition. In a similar manner Bible en français courant says “I am indisposed,” Revised English Bible have “The common lot of woman is upon me.” More direct is Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “Today I have my menstrual period.” See also Good News Translation. Translators should consider the social context and use the form that is both appropriate and natural; in many languages this is simply “I am sick.”

It should not be forgotten that this scene has a strong comic element in which something (the idols) so highly regarded by Laban is here being sat upon by a woman who, in the Levitical view, is taboo and unclean (Lev 15.19-20). For similar ridicule of idols see Judges 17 and Isa 44.9-20.

It should also be noted how the narrator has used Rachel’s own humor and deceit to relieve the tension that was created concerning her in verse 32.

So he searched, but did not find the household gods: this is best taken as a conclusion to the baggage inspection episode. It is well handled by Revised English Bible “So for all his searching, Laban did not find the household gods.” We may also translate, for example, “Well, he searched everywhere, and in the end he never found his household gods.”

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 .