complete verse (Hosea 14:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 14:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “I will be like the dew that moistens the ground
    where the people of Israel are.
    They shall blossom like flowers
    and put down the roots like the cedars of Lebanon.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I will be like drops of dew for Israel.
    They will blossom like the lily,
    and they will take root
    like the cedar trees of Lebanon.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I will-bless those- (who) -come-from-Israel; I will-be like a dew which gives water to the plants. They will-prosper like a lily plant which blossoms. They will-be-strong like the cedar trees in Lebanon whose roots are deep.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I-can-be-compared to dew to/for the Israelita and they will flower like the kalalily (white lily that grows in the cordilleras) and they will grow-roots like the trees in Lebanon.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “I will be to the people of Israel
    like dew that refreshes the soil.
    When I do that, they will become as delightful as lilies are when they are blooming.
    No one will be able to conquer them;
    they will be as unmovable as the roots of cedar trees.” (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 14:5

In this verse three similes are used: (1) the LORD will be like dew; (2) the Israelites will blossom like a lily; and (3) their roots will be like the trees of Lebanon. These figures depict abundance and prosperity.

The pronouns referring to the people switch from third plural in the previous verse to third singular in this one (he), as is often the case in Hosea. Good News Translation uses plural in both verses to enhance clarity. In most languages this will be the best solution.

I will be as the dew to Israel: This verse stands in sharp contrast with 13.15, which speaks of the dry desert wind. Here Yahweh promises to be like dew to the people, so that things can grow fresh and green again. Even if there is no rain, the morning dew often provides enough moisture that plants are able to grow properly. The figure of dew also occurs in 6.4 and 13.3, where it is used to illustrate the short-lived nature of Israel’s commitment to the LORD. However, in this context it illustrates the LORD’s life-giving and caring presence with Israel. If the image of dew is unclear in the receptor language, it may be helpful to add a qualifier, for example, “refreshing dew” (New Living Translation). In some languages it may be necessary to use nonfigurative language; for example, Bijbel in Gewone Taal says “I will give the Israelites new strength.” Such a translation clearly loses a lot of the original text’s poetic beauty and impact. Good News Translation‘s “I will be to the people of Israel like rain in a dry land” changes the simile somewhat. Falling rain is clearly visible. Dew is barely visible, but there is enough moisture to make plants grow.

Israel refers to its people. It is pictured here, not as the farmer, but as the plant itself: he shall blossom as the lily. Most translators may be able to copy the Hebrew form by referring to all Israel as he, but some may need to use plural pronouns, as in Good News Translation with “They.”

The Hebrew word for lily probably refers to the white lily. This plant can grow to 1.5 meters (5 feet) in height. It has an erect stem with long narrow leaves. It has cone-shaped white flowers. If no equivalent exists in the receptor language, translators may opt for a generic term, such as “flowers” (Good News Translation). A local equivalent can also be used by saying “flowers like….” However, such a rendering becomes a bit wordy in a poetic context.

He shall strike root as the poplar: The Hebrew verb for strike usually refers to striking a blow, as with a sword or spear, to harm someone (see 6.1). This is clearly not its meaning here with the noun root as its object. New International Version translates “send down his roots,” New Jerusalem Bible says “thrust out roots,” and English Standard Version has “take root.” The receptor language may have an idiomatic expression for growing roots. The figurative phrase strike root depicts firmness and durability. Good News Translation makes this explicit by translating “firmly rooted.” Contemporary English Version loses some of the impact of this image by saying simply “have roots like a tree.”

Like the poplar renders an emended Hebrew text. The original text has “like the Lebanon,” which Hebrew Old Testament Text Project strongly recommends (an {A} decision). “Lebanon” refers to a mountain range north of Palestine and was famous for its forests of cedar trees. The people of Israel would immediately picture the mountains of Lebanon covered with large, strong, firmly-rooted cedar trees. (The mountains of Lebanon can be clearly seen from many places in northern Israel.) The figure of Lebanon’s cedar trees is used elsewhere in the Old Testament, for example, Psa 104.16 and Isa 2.13. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project suggests “like Lebanon” or “like on Lebanon.” If such a literal translation will be meaningless to the reader, Good News Translation‘s “like the trees of Lebanon” is a useful alternate translation. Similar renderings are “like the Lebanon cedar” (New American Bible), “Like a cedar of Lebanon” (New International Version), and “like a Lebanon tree” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

A translation model for this verse is:

• I will be like dew to the people of Israel.
They will blossom like the lilies,
and root firmly like the trees of Lebanon.

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 14:5

14:5a

I will be like the dew to Israel: This clause is a simile in which the LORD compares himself to dew. The word dew refers to the drops of water that appear on plants in the evening and/or morning.

Here are two ways that the LORD is similar to dew:

(a) He gives refreshment.

(b) He provides what is needed for life and health.

Some versions make explicit a way that the LORD and dew are similar. For example:

I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. (New Living Translation (2004))

14:5b

he will blossom like the lily: This clause is a simile that compares Israel to a lily. Israel will blossom in a way similar to a lily.

The Hebrew word for lily refers to a flower. The Hebrew word for blossom means to “bud” or “sprout.” Here it probably refers to a bud opening into a flower blossom.

Here are some ways that Israel will (figuratively) blossom:

(a) The people will reproduce abundantly like a lily.

(b) Israel will be beautiful and fragrant like a lily.

Some versions make explicit that the pronoun he refers to Israel. For example:

Israel will blossom like the lily (New Living Translation (2004))

Some versions have “flowers” instead of lily. This may be a good translation option to follow in languages that do not have a word for lily. For example:

They will blossom like flowers (Good News Translation)

14:5c

and take root like the cedars of Lebanon: In Hebrew, this clause is more literally “and it will strike its roots like (the) Lebanon.” There is a textual issue with the name Lebanon in this clause:

(1) The Masoretic Text has Lebanon. For example:

and he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon (New American Standard Bible)

(2) Some scholars think that the original word was “poplar.” For example:

he shall strike root as the poplar (Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions and scholars. Ancient versions also follow this option.

The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as take root is more literally “and it will strike.” The phrase “strike its roots” means to “thrust” roots into the ground.

The clause is a simile that compares Israel’s roots to the roots of a cedar of Lebanon. This comparison implies several things:

(a) Their roots provide nourishment, so Israel will have splendor/glory.

(b) Their roots are hardy, so Israel will become great and last a long time.

(c) Their roots are deep and firm, so Israel will be strong and stable.

Here are some other ways to translate this line:

They will be firmly rooted like the trees of Lebanon. (Good News Translation)
-or-
it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. (New Living Translation (2004))

cedars of Lebanon: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as cedars of Lebanon is more literally “like the Lebanon.” There are at least two acceptable ways to translate this expression. They are listed here in order of more specific to less specific:

• Make explicit that this expression probably refers to “cedar” trees that were famous in Lebanon at that time. For example:

He will send down his roots like a cedar of Lebanon. (NET Bible)

• Make explicit that this expression may refer to the trees or forests of Lebanon. For example:

he shall strike root like the forests of Lebanon. (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon (English Standard Version)

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