The term that is transliterated as “Joseph” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that relates to a) the coat he wore (see Gen 37:3), b) the holding of his clothes by Potiphar’s wife (see Gen 39:12), and c) the many times Joseph experienced grief. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Joseph” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign that signifies “dream,” referring to Jacob’s dream at Bethel (see Genesis 28:10 and the following verses). (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 46:30:
Kankanaey: “Then his father said, ‘Now I am-ready to die, because (relief particle) I have seen you (sing.) and I know that you (sing.) are still alive.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Newari: “Israel said to Joseph — ‘I having had the chance to meet you and look at your face I know that your have not died. Now I have the chance to die in peace.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Jacob said to Jose, ‘Now I (am) ready to-die because I have- now -seen you (sing.) alive.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Jacob said to Joseph, ‘I have seen you and I know that you are still alive! So now I am ready to die.'” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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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 second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person.
In these verses, however, omae (おまえ) is used, a cruder second person pronoun, that Jesus for instance chooses when chiding his disciples. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
Now let me die: Jacob is not asking someone present to allow him to die. The father who is living only to see his lost son once more (see 45.28) can now say “I am ready to die” or “I can die now.” Other examples of the way this can be expressed in translation are “It is all right for me to die now” and “I can die happy now.”
Since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive: seen your face may need to be rendered “seen your face again” or “seen you again.” In some languages it is more natural to place the reason before the request; for example, “Now let me die. I have seen you and know that you are still alive.”
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 .
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