complete verse (Genesis 45:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 45:20:

  • Kankanaey: “They are not to be worried to leave-behind their belongings there, because when they arrive here, the best belongings in the entire country in Egipto will-be-given to them.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Also have no concern for your goods. For all the best things that are in Egypt are theirs.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They should- not -feel-bad-about their belongings that (they) will-leave-behind because the good things in the entire Egipto will-become theirs.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Do not worry about bringing your possessions, because the best things in Egypt will be yours. Because of that, you will not need to bring any of your things from Canaan.”” (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 Genesis 45:20

Give no thought to your goods is literally “Let not your eye look with regret on your possessions.” The king understands that Jacob and the brothers probably cannot bring all their camp baggage all the way to Egypt, and so he advises them, through Joseph, not to worry about leaving some of their possessions behind in Canaan. The plural verb and pronoun forms in the Hebrew show that the king is speaking to the brothers. We may translate, for example, “Don’t you [plural] be concerned about having to leave some of your possessions behind.” See Good News Translation.

For the best of all the land of Egypt is yours: this statement gives the reason why they should not worry in the previous sentence. For its translation see verse 18.

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 .