Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 10:15:
Kupsabiny: “It will happen like that with you Bethel because your sin has become great. When that day dawns, the king of Israel will be destroyed completely.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “O people of Bethel, by reason of the evil work you have done, that same kind of trouble is about to come on you. When that day dawns, the king of Israel will be devastatingly destroyed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “That is also what will-happen to you (plur.) who come-from-Betel because of your (plur.) great wickedness. While (it)-is-still dawning, very surely the king of Israel will-die.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “You people of Bethel city, that is what will happen to you, because you are very wicked. And when the sun rises on that day, the King of Israel will be killed in the battle.’” (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 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).
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
Thus it is shall be done to you is literally “Like that he [that is, someone] has done to you.” Thus renders an emphatic Hebrew word, here pointing back to the destruction of Beth-arbel in the previous verse. The Hebrew verb here is in the past tense (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “has done”). In this context, however, most commentators agree that it refers to a future event. Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and most other translations translate it that way, following one Hebrew manuscript that uses the future tense. The past tense does not seem to fit. Jerusalem Bible follows the Septuagint by saying “That is what I mean to do to you,” which makes sense but the change from third to first person is not necessary.
In O house of Israel, the vocative O is an old English form for speaking to someone, and most translators should not use it but should use whatever form is proper in their language for speaking directly to someone.
Instead of house of Israel, which follows the Septuagint, the Hebrew has simply “Bethel.” Good News Translation says “people of Bethel,” possibly meaning “people of Israel.” It is very well possible that “Bethel” represents the place of pagan worship, called Beth-aven in 10.5. Moreover, “Bethel” is a better parallel to Beth-arbel in the previous verse. Like Beth-arbel, Bethel will be destroyed. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers “Bethel” with a {C} rating. It is possible to take “Bethel” (what the Hebrew has) and translate it as the subject of the clause, as in New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, which says “This is what Bethel has done to you” (similarly De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling). This is also possible with future tense, as in Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, which translates “This is what Bethel will do to you.”
Because of your great wickedness: Because of translates a Hebrew idiom, literally “from the face of.” Your great wickedness is literally “the evil of your evil.” In Hebrew this type of repetition is a normal way of expressing the superlative (compare “vanity of vanities” in Eccl 1.2).
In the storm the king of Israel shall be utterly cut off: Instead of In the storm, the Hebrew reads “At dawn” (New Revised Standard Version). Revised Standard Version‘s emendation introduces a figure that is not very appropriate. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project favors “at dawn” (a {B} decision). In this context it can literally refer to the beginning of the day, or it can mean quickly. Battles usually began in the morning (see 1 Sam 11.11; 2 Chr 20.20), and Good News Translation may well be right by saying “As soon as the battle begins.” As a matter of fact, the last king of Israel, Hoshea, was taken captive by the Assyrians before they began their siege of Israel’s capital city Samaria (2 Kgs 17.4-6).
Shall be utterly cut off renders an emphatic Hebrew phrase, literally “being cut off he shall be cut off.” The Hebrew verb for be … cut off does not clearly describe what happened to the Israelite king. It can mean “be caused to cease,” “be cut off,” or “be destroyed.” This verb can refer to someone being killed. But because of the information about King Hoshea’s capture, and the fact that he was not put to death immediately, it may be wise to use a term that shows the complete end of kings in the land of Israel.
A translation model for this verse is:
• Likewise, it will happen to you, Bethel,
because of your utter wickedness.
At the dawn of that day
the kingship of Israel will be utterly destroyed.
Quoted with permission from Dorn, Louis & van Steenbergen, Gerrit. A Handbook on Hosea. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Thus it will be done to you, O Bethel: This clause indicates that what will happen to Bethel is similar to what happened at Beth Arbel. Just like Shalman brutally destroyed that city, someone will brutally destroy Bethel also. The word Thus introduces this comparison.
Here are some other ways to introduce this comparison:
You will share that fate, Bethel (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
So will it happen to you, O Bethel (NET Bible)
it will be done to you, O Bethel: In Hebrew, this clause is more literally “he/it will do to you Bethel.” The Hebrew clause does not specify the referent of “he/it.” There are two main interpretations:
(1) The referent is intentionally impersonal. Hosea directs the reader’s attention to what will happen, not to who or what does the action. For example:
so it shall be done to you, Bethel. (New Jerusalem Bible)
(2) The referent is Bethel. In this interpretation Bethel is the agent, not a vocative. For example:
So shall Bethel do unto you (King James Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions.
to you, O Bethel: There is a textual issue here:
(1) The Masoretic Text has “to you Bethel.” For example:
so it shall be done to you, Bethel (New Jerusalem Bible)
(2) The LXX has “to you, House of Israel.” For example:
Thus it shall be done to you, O house of Israel (Revised Standard Version)
It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions.
In Hebrew, these words are literally “to you (plur) Bethel (sing).” The plural you probably refers to the individual people of the city of Bethel. In Hebrew, Hosea speaks directly to the city of Bethel as one would speak to a person. However, to address a city in this way may not be natural in some languages.
Here are some other ways to translate this vocative:
That is what will happen to you, people of Bethel (Good News Translation) -or-
Thus it will be done to you at Bethel (New American Standard Bible)
Use a vocative that is natural in your language when a person speaks to a group of people.
10:15b
because of your great wickedness: This statement gives the reason why Bethel will be destroyed. Bethel was the center of worship of the calf idol, and it represented the extreme wickedness of Israel. In Hebrew, the word because here is literally “from-the face-of.” It is a Hebrew expression that means “by reason of.”
Here are some other ways to translate this statement:
because of the terrible evil that you have done (Good News Translation) -or-
because you did so much evil. (New Century Version) -or-
For your horrible wickedness (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
10:15c
When the day dawns, the king of Israel will be utterly cut off: This clause indicates that the enemy soldiers (Assyrian army) will quickly capture and imprison the king of Israel very early in the war. See 2 Kings 17:4, 5. Some versions make this meaning explicit. For example:
as swiftly as the passing of dawn, the king of Israel will be swept away. (Revised English Bible)
When the day dawns: There is a textual issue here:
(1) The Masoretic Text has “at the dawn.” For example:
At dawn the king of Israel will be completely cut off. (New Revised Standard Version)
(CBSB, EV, English Standard Version, Good News Translation, God’s Word, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New Living Translation (2004), New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible)
(2) Some scholars think that the original text was “in the storm.” For example:
In the storm the king of Israel shall be utterly cut off. (Revised Standard Version)
(Revised Standard Version)
It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions.
The word “dawn” refers to early morning just before sunrise.” It was common to start a battle early in the day to give the attackers the advantage of surprise.
the king of Israel will be utterly cut off: This clause means that the Assyrians will take captive the king of Israel, king Hoshea. It also means that no other Israelite kings will rule after him.
Here are some ways to translate this whole verse part:
at dawn, the king of Israel will be no more (New Jerusalem Bible) -or-
As soon as the battle begins at daybreak, the position of “king of Israel” will be gone.
This clause is more literally “the king of Israel destroyed he will be destroyed.” In Hebrew, this repetition intensifies the meaning.
Here are some ways to indicate this intensity:
the king of Israel will be completely destroyed. (New International Version) -or-
the ruling of any king of Israel will completely end.
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