complete verse (Genesis 47:30)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 47:30:

  • Kankanaey: “I want you (sing.) to take-me to the burial-place of my ancestors and bury-me there so-that I will be joined/added to them.’ Jose said answering, ‘Yes father, I will do that which you (sing.) are-requesting.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “After I die, take me from here [and] bury me in the place where my father and grandfathers are buried.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When I die, bury me in the burial-place of my ancestors.’ Jose replied, ‘I will-obey what you (sing.) said.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Instead, take my body out of Egypt, and bury it in Canaan where my ancestors are buried.’ Joseph replied, ‘I will do that.'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("say")

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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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Genesis 47:30

But let me lie with my fathers: but is used by Revised Standard Version to contrast being buried in Egypt with being buried in Canaan beside his father and grandfather. If this is the meaning of the clause, we may translate “Bury me where my ancestors are.” However, New Revised Standard Version has a different rendering, which is also followed by some other versions, “When I lie down with my ancestors.” This takes the clause to be the commonly occurring idiom (or euphemism) for death; and in this sense we may translate “When I die, [I want you to] carry my body away….”

Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place: this refers to the cave of Machpelah purchased by Abraham from the Hittites in chapter 23. If Revised Standard Version is followed, it may be helpful to rearrange verse 30 so that the first clause becomes the consequence of the command to Joseph; for example, “Take me out of Egypt and bury me in the grave of my fathers [of my father and my grandfather]. There I will lie beside them.” Some translations express the contrast in the verse by saying “When I die, don’t bury me here in this country. Carry my body back … and put me there in that graveyard where my ancestors are lying.”

He answered: that is, “Joseph answered.”

I will do as you have said is literally “I will do according to your words.” See Good News Translation.

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 .