4When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph addressed the household of Pharaoh, “If now I have found favor with you, please speak to Pharaoh as follows:
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)
The term that is used for monarchs in ancient Egypt and is transliterated as “Pharaoh” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language with the sign signifying the “fake metal beard (postiche)” that was word by Pharaohs during official functions. (Source: Tarja Sandholm)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 50:4:
Newari: “As soon as the days of mourning were past, Joseph spoke like this to the officials — ‘Take this much of a request of mine to Pharaoh.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “When their mourning was finished, Jose said to the officials of the king of Egipto, ‘If possible speak to the king” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “When the time of mourning was finished, Joseph said to the king’s officials, ‘If you are pleased with me, please take this message to the king:” (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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, tsutaete (伝えて) or “convey” 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).”
When the days of weeping for him were past: that is, “when the time of mourning was over.” Some languages have set expressions for the period of mourning after a person’s death, and such expressions will usually be appropriate in this context; for example, “the continually wailing time” or “time of sadness and crying.”
Household of Pharaoh: Joseph makes his request through what is literally “the house of Pharaoh,” which means here the officers of the king’s court. The reason for not going directly to the king is probably that Joseph was still in mourning, or that his head and beard were still shaved. It would not be acceptable for Joseph, who had been involved with a corpse, to have contact with this god-king.
If now I have found favor in your eyes: for this much-repeated expression see 6.8; 18.3; 33.10; and especially 47.29.
Speak … in the ears of Pharaoh: note how Good News Translation has expressed this: “Please take this message to the king.” We may also say, for example, “Joseph said to the king’s officials, ‘Please go to the king and tell him this:…,’ ” or “ ‘… and make this request on my behalf:….’ ”
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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