untranslatable verses

The Swedish Bibel 2000 declared the 69 Old Testament verses referenced herein as “untranslatable.” Typically, other Bible translations translate those verses and mention in footnotes that the translation is uncertain or give alternate readings. Christer Åsberg, the Translation Secretary with the Swedish Bible Society at that time, explains why the Swedish Bible Society decided to not translate these verses at all (in The Bible Translator 2007, p. 1ff. ):

“In the new Swedish translation (SB) of 2000, [some verses are] not translated at all; [they are] indicated with three hyphens inside square brackets [- - -] [with a] reference to the appendix, where in the article ‘Text’ one will find a paragraph with roughly the following content:

In some cases the text is unintelligible and the variant readings differing to such an extent, that it is quite impossible to attain a reasonable certainty of what is meant, although some isolated word may occur, whose meaning it is possible to understand.

“If Bible translators find the Hebrew text untranslatable, what kind of text is it that they have produced in the translation into their own language? When a footnote says ‘The Hebrew is not understandable,’ what then is the printed text a translation of? And if the translators prefer to do without footnotes, are they then really released from the responsibility of informing their readers that the text they read is just mere guesswork?

“To leave a blank space in a Bible text seems to be an offensive act for many. (. . . ) To admit that a piece of Holy Scripture makes no sense at all may have been unimaginable in times past. In our enlightened era, an overprotective concern for the readers’ trust in the word of God is apparently a decisive factor when a translator tries to translate against all odds. The verdict ‘untranslatable’ is much more frequent in scholarly commentaries on different Bible books written by and for experts than in the translations or footnotes of the same books designed for common readers.

“Another reason (. . .) is a professional, and very human, reluctance to admit a failure. Also, many Bible translators lack translational experience of other literary genres and other classical texts where this kind of capitulation is a part of the daily run of things. They may have an innate or subconscious feeling that the Bible has unique qualities not only as a religious document but also as a linguistic and literary artifact. Completeness is felt to be proof of perfection. Some translators, and not so few of their clients, are unfamiliar with a scholarly approach to philological and exegetical matters. In some cases their background have made them immune to a kind of interpretative approximation common in older translations, confessional commentaries, and sermons. Therefore, their tolerance towards lexical, grammatical, and syntactical anomalies tends to be comparatively great.

“It is very hard to discern and to define the boundary between something that is extremely difficult and something that is quite impossible. I am convinced that all Bible translators in their heart of hearts will admit that there actually are some definitely untranslatable passages in the Bible, but are there a dozen of them or a score? Are there fifty or a hundred? Not even a group of recognized experts would probably pick out the same ten most obvious cases. (. . .)

“Conclusions:

  1. There are untranslatable passages in the Bible.
  2. How many they are is impossible to say—except for the translation team that decides which passages are untranslatable.
  3. An untranslatable passage cannot and should therefore not be translated.
  4. The lacuna should be marked in a consistent way.
  5. The translating team should stipulate their criteria for untranslatability as early as possible.
  6. It is an ethical imperative that the readers be comprehensively informed.
  7. Untranslatability has been and can be displayed in many different ways.
  8. An explanatory note should not confuse linguistic untranslatability with other kinds of textual or translational difficulties.
  9. The information given should make it clear that the translators’ recognition of untranslatability is a token of respect for the Bible, not a proof of depreciation.
  10. You shall not fear the void, but the fear of the void.”

With thanks to Mikael Winninge, Director of Translation, Swedish Bible Society

Most High

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Ge’ez, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “he the completely glorified God”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
  • Palantla Chinantec: “the Big God Himself”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
  • Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Elhomwe: Mulluku Muullupalli or “God the Great” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa: Wammwambamwamba: A name of God. While this word is difficult to translate into English, its sense implies that God is highly above everything in his power and greatness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

complete verse (Hosea 1:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 1:17:

  • Kankanaey: “Because I will-cause- them -to-stop saying the name of Baal their false/imitation god.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

complete verse (Hosea 1:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 11:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “My people truly wants to refuse me.
    They look to me but surely, I am not helping them.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “My people insist on turning away from me.
    Even though they call me the Most High,
    I will not honor them.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They who (are) my people are-determined to turn-away from me. Therefore even-if they will-call upon me in unity I will- not -save them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Truly they persist in turning-their-backs on me. Even-though how-many ways/occasions the prophets advise them to return to me the Highest God, they nevertheless do not acknowledge-me.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “My people are determined to turn away from/abandon me.
    They say that I am the great all-powerful God,
    but they do not honor me at all.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

1st person pronoun referring to God (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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Hosea 11:7

As the Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation footnotes indicate, the meaning of this verse in Hebrew is uncertain. Many translations have a similar footnote. Zürcher Bibel, in fact, uses only an ellipsis (…), with the footnote “This verse in untranslatable.” A literal translation of the Hebrew text is:

And my people are hanging to turning away from me,
and to a height [or, Baal/Most High] they call to him.
Altogether he will not exalt them.

This verse begins with the Hebrew waw conjunction (literally “And” [King James Version]), which Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and most other versions leave untranslated. Here it introduces the grounds for the punishment of the Israelites in the previous two verses, so it may be translated “For” (New Living Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

My people are bent on turning away from me: The meaning of this line is fairly certain. Here the Hebrew verb rendered are bent (literally “are hanging”) seems to mean insisting on an opinion or an action, although its literal meaning refers to the hanging or impaling of a criminal. Most translations follow the interpretation in Revised Standard Version. Wolff supports this translation. Studies in the dialect of northern Israel also support this interpretation. Some translations that are similar to the one in Revised Standard Version are “They insist on turning away from me” (Good News Translation), “My people are determined to turn from me” (New International Version), and “For My people persists in its defection from Me” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

So they are appointed to the yoke: The main problem for this verse is the interpretation of this line. As noted above, the Hebrew is literally “and to a height [or, Al/Baal/Most High] they call to him.” There are three major interpretations:

1. It can be understood as the Israelites calling to their God as the “High” one; for example, New International Version says “Even if they call to the Most High,” and English Standard Version has “and though they call out to the Most High.”

2. An alternative interpretation is to understand the Hebrew words for “to a height” (ʾel ʿal) to be the name “El-Al,” which is the name of a god known in northwest Semitic languages just north of Israel. Since the name “El-Al” is similar to the name “Baal,” some versions refer to the god Baal here; for example, Revised English Bible says “but though they call in unison to Baal,” and NET Bible has “they call to Baal.” The literal phrase “call to him” can be understood as to mean “name him.” So another possible model for this line that follows this second interpretation is “and they call [or, name] him El-Al.”

3. Finally, since vowel marks were added only centuries later to the Hebrew text, the word ʿal can be read as the word ʿol, which means “yoke.” Revised Standard Version follows this reading, and so does Good News Translation with “They will cry out because of the yoke that is on them.”

Even though Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation both refer to the image of a yoke (referring to captivity), their interpretations of this line are not the same because of their differing understandings of the Hebrew verb here. This verb may be interpreted to mean they are appointed (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “it is summoned”). A variant of this interpretation is King James Version‘s “they called them,” in which the pronoun “they” refers to the prophets and the pronoun “them” to the Israelites. But such a reference to the prophets is not clear from the context. Another equally possible interpretation of this verb is “They will cry out” (Good News Translation) or “they call” (New Revised Standard Version). This interpretation of crying out fits well with Hosea’s vivid and emotional style.

And none shall remove it: Good News Translation is similar with “but no one will lift it from them.” The pronoun it refers to the yoke. As noted above, the Hebrew for this line is literally “Altogether he will not exalt them.” New Revised Standard Version reflects the Hebrew better with “but he does not raise them up at all,” and so does New International Version with “he will by no means exalt them.” Some versions place the Hebrew word meaning “Altogether” in the previous line, giving it the sense of “together” or “in unison” (Revised English Bible), which is a possibility.

According to the interpretation of Good News Translation for this verse, Israel keeps turning away from God, and they cry out because of the yoke of a foreign conqueror, but no one will be able to remove that yoke. Revised Standard Version has a similar interpretation. However, by following the Hebrew dialect of northern Israel, we see the following interpretation for this verse:

My people are determined to turn away from me,
and they call together to Baal,
but he will not lift them up.

“Lift them up” can have a variety of meanings, depending upon the context. It can refer to restoration, healing, honor, and other things. In this context we can assume that it refers to whatever the Israelites requested in their prayer to Baal. Baal will not help them!

Translation models for this verse are:

• My people are fixed on turning away from me.
Together they call on Baal,
but he will not lift them up.

• My people insist on being unfaithful to me.
When they call on me, the Most High,
I will not restore them at all.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Hosea 11:7

11:7a

My people are bent on turning from Me: The relationship of this line to the surrounding context is not clear. This line may be stating again the theme of turning away from the LORD as in 11:5. Some versions translate this line as a reason for the war described in 11:6 by starting the verse with the word “For.” The majority of versions leave implied the relationship of this line to the context. Translate the relationship of this line to the context in a natural way in your language.

bent on turning from Me: In Hebrew, this phrase is more literally “hung up to/on my apostasy.” Here the word “hung up” has the figurative meaning of “determined” or “fixated upon.” It means that the people will not change their attitude or behavior. The Hebrew word “to/on my apostasy” means to reject or rebel against the LORD.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

My people are bent on turning away from me (English Standard Version)
-or-
They insist on turning away from me (Good News Translation)
-or-
my people are determined to desert me (New Living Translation (2004))

11:7b

Though they call to the Most High, He will by no means exalt them: In Hebrew, this sentence is literally “and to a height they call him together not he will exalt them.” This sentence has one main textual issue and various interpretations. The textual issue will be discussed first.

There is a textual issue concerning the Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Most High :

(1) The Masoretic Text has the phrase “and to a height.” See the separate note on the interpretations of this phrase. For example:

the One on high (New American Standard Bible)

(2) Some ancient versions have the word “yoke” instead of “height.” For example:

the yoke that is on them (Good News Translation)

(3) Some scholars think that the original text had “Baal” instead of “height.” For example:

they call to Baal (NET Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). It has good support from scholars, ancient versions and most modern versions.

Though: This word is not in the Hebrew text. The Berean Standard Bible supplies it to make explicit the logical relationship between the first clause of the sentence “they call to the Most High” and the second clause “he will by no means exalt them.” The logical relationship is that the people’s action of calling to the LORD does not result in the LORD exalting them.

Here are some other ways to indicate this connection:

To the Most High they call, but he does not raise them up at all. (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-

Even if they call to the Most High, he will by no means exalt them. (New International Version)

Indicate this relationship between the clauses in a natural way in your language.

they call: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “they call him.” There are two main interpretations of this phrase:

(1) The people call to the LORD. The referent of they is the people of Israel. The word call means to pray. The referent of “him” is the Most High. For example:

they call out to the Most High (English Standard Version)

(2) The prophets called the people to return to the LORD. The referent of they is the prophets. The word call means to urge or summon. The referent of “him” is Israel. For example:

The prophets call them to turn to me (New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with a majority of versions. It makes sense in this context and has the support of one of the ancient versions.

to the Most High: The Hebrew text is literally “and to a height.” There two main interpretations:

(1) The phrase “and to a height” is a short form of the descriptive phrase Most High. It refers to the LORD. For example:

To the Most High they call (New Revised Standard Version)

(2) The phrase “and to a height” means an upward direction. It refers figuratively to a high level of devotion/piety. For example:

if they are summoned to come up (New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions.

He will by no means exalt them: This clause is literally “together not he will exalt them.” There are two main interpretations:

(1) The LORD will not exalt/lift the people. The verb “exalt/lift” means to help them in some way, perhaps by answering their prayers. This clause depicts the LORD’s negative response to the peoples’ apostasy. For example:

he shall not raise them up at all (English Standard Version)

(2) The people will not exalt the LORD. The verb “exalt/rise” means to honor or worship God. This clause depicts the people’s apostasy. For example:

They call me the Most High, but they don’t truly honor me. (New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It makes good sense as the LORD’s negative response to the people calling to him.

by no means: There are two main interpretations of the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as by no means :

(1) The Hebrew word means “altogether.” It functions as a superlative or to give emphasis to something in the following clause. Here it gives emphasis to the following verb “exalt.” For example:

He does not raise them up at all (New Revised Standard Version)

(2) The Hebrew word means “together” or “all at once.” It refers back to the people who call on the LORD in the previous clause. For example:

In unison they cry out to him (New American Bible)

The Display will follow interpretation (1), but the Hebrew word can have either meaning. The context does not clearly favor one over the other.

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