prostitute oneself / play the prostitute

The Hebrew that is translated as “prostitute oneself” or “play the prostitute” in English is translated in Vidunda as “(practice) sexual immorality.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Ephraim

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Ephraim” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “palm tree” referring to the palm of Deborah in the land of Ephraim (see Judges 4:5. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Ephraim” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

For Deborah, see here.

More information about Ephraim and the Tribe of Ephraim .

complete verse (Hosea 5:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 5:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “I know the people of Ephraim
    and those of Israel are not lost to me.
    You have committed so much adultery, oh, Ephraim
    and put on yourselves dirt, oh, people of Israel.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I know everything about Ephraim,
    Israel is not being hidden from me.
    You, O Ephraim, have been committing prostitution.
    Israel has defiled itself.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I know all about you (plur.) who come-from-Israel; you (plur.) can- not -hide- (anything) from me. You (plur.) worship little-gods therefore you (plur.) became unclean/dirty.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “I know everything about the people of Israel;
    nothing that they have done is hidden from me.
    Because the people of Israel have given themselves to worshiping idols
    like prostitutes give themselves to the men they sleep with,
    they have become unacceptable to me.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 5:3

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: These two lines are parallel to each other and are nearly synonymous statements. Ephraim is synonymous with Israel (see comments on 4.17). The two terms are used with poetic effect in Hebrew. Since the poetic effect of parallelism may confuse the meaning in English, Good News Translation combines the names and restructures the two statements, saying “I know what Israel is like—she cannot hide from me.” In line with the recommendation at 4.17, we suggest keeping both names in these parallel lines.

In Hebrew the pronoun for I is emphatic since it is repeated, first as an independent pronoun and then as a suffix on the verb. This verse begins literally “I, I know…” (Wolff). If the receptor language uses independent pronouns in addition to subject affixes, we recommend using both in order to create a similar emphatic effect. In languages without this option, a good alternative may be to say “I really know…” in order to create a similar emphatic effect. The Hebrew verb for know involves intimate knowledge and understanding and often refers to the act of sex in a marriage. I know Ephraim has the contrasting counterpart in 5.4: “they know not the LORD.” God knows his people, but they have been unfaithful and have strayed from him.

The Hebrew expression for Israel is not hid from me may mean that Israel is always under God’s watchful, protecting eye, but it may also mean that Israel cannot hide from God (so Good News Translation). Since this section uses the figure of marriage fidelity and infidelity, the meaning of a close relationship is primary, although Israel’s inability to hide from the knowing God is also involved. New English Bible renders the first two lines of this verse as “I have cared for Ephraim and I have not neglected Israel.”

For now, O Ephraim, you have played the harlot, Israel is defiled: These two lines are also parallel, with the last line showing the result of the previous one. For now translates an emphatic expression in Hebrew, which highlights the unfaithful response of Israel to its faithful God. Some scholars emend the Hebrew pronoun for you to read “he.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project favors retaining “you” (a {C} decision). For most translators the issue will be whether the normal style of the receptor language would use an isolated “you” in this verse, where the other expressions speak about Israel rather than directly to Israel. Played the harlot translates the same Hebrew verb used in 4.10 (see comments there). There is a problem interpreting the verb form here, which normally means “cause to commit harlotry” (so Wolff), but which most scholars understand as “commit harlotry” here. It seems best to follow the majority opinion, as do Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.

Israel is defiled means Israel is ritually unclean, and therefore not allowed to participate in acts of worship to Yahweh. This is the result of her unfaithfulness. If the concept of “ritually unclean” is known in the receptor language, it should be used here. Good News Translation abandons the figurative language here and makes the meaning explicit by rendering the last two lines as “She has been unfaithful, and her people are unfit to worship me.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “They have dirtied themselves with idolatry and prostitution.” Some translations consider Ephraim the chief tribe of Israel, and therefore translate these lines in a way that puts the blame on Ephraim for leading Israel into sin; for example, Bible en français courant has “You [leaders] have urged Ephraim into prostitution, and now all Israel finds itself contaminated” (similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

A translation model for this verse is:

• As for me, I know Ephraim,
Israel cannot hide from me.
You Ephraim, you have been into harlotry,
Israel, you have become unclean.

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 5:3

5:3a–b

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

3a
I know all about Ephraim,

3b and Israel is not hidden from Me.

In Hebrew and in the Berean Standard Bible, the parallel parts are arranged in the form of a chiasm. The parts in 5:3a occur in the opposite order from the parallel parts in 5:3b. Some versions do not use a chiasm. For example:

3a
Ephraim have I known,

3b
Israel is not hidden from me; (New Jerusalem Bible)

Use an order that is natural in your language.

In these lines the LORD indicated that he knows everything that the people of Israel do. In some languages, it may be helpful to make explicit what the LORD knows about the people. For example:

3a I know Ephraim all too well;

3b
the evil of Israel is not hidden from me. (NET Bible)

I know all about…is not hidden from Me: Each of these two phrases has a similar meaning. In this context, the meaning is that the LORD knows all about the evil deeds of the people. They may think that they are doing evil in secret, but he sees everything they do.

Ephraim…Israel: In these parallel lines, Ephraim is probably a figure of speech (synecdoche) that represents all the people of the nation of Israel.

General Comment on 5:3a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine one or more of the parallel parts. For example:

I know what Israel is like—she cannot hide from me. (Good News Translation)
-or-
I know what you are like, O Israel ! (New Living Translation (1996))

5:3c–d

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

3c For now, O Ephraim, you have turned to prostitution;

3d
Israel is defiled.

There are at least two ways to interpret the connection between 5:3c–d and 5:3a–b:

(1) Line 5:3c begins with two Hebrew words that indicate emphasis. These words introduce parallel statements (5:3c–d) that explain in more detail what the LORD said in 5:3a–b. These statements specify that Ephraim has turned to prostitution and Israel is corrupt. For example:

Behold, you have fornicated, O Ephraim; Israel has defiled himself! (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

(2) Line 5:3c begins with two Hebrew words that indicate a contrast. These words introduce parallel statements (5:3c–d) that contrast with what the LORD said in 5:3a–b. According to this interpretation, the LORD knew and cared for Ephraim/Israel, but they responded by turning to immorality and defiling themselves. For example:

but now Ephraim has become promiscuous and Israel has brought defilement on himself (Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The some versions leave the connection between 5:3c–d and 5:3a–b implied.

Ephraim…Israel: See the note for 5:3a–b.

you have turned to prostitution: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you have turned to prostitution is the same word as in 4:10 and 4:18. It means “fornication” with a person or “unfaithfulness” towards God. Here it probably means both at the same time.

Here are some other ways to translate it:

she has been unfaithful (Good News Translation)
-or-
Ephraim has become promiscuous (Revised English Bible)

is defiled: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as is defiled is literally “it has made itself unclean.” The word refers to the people’s moral impurity. It also refers to their spiritual impurity that was caused by breaking the commands of their covenant with the LORD. The people were guilty of both kinds of impurity.

Here are some other ways to translate this line:

Israel is corrupt (New International Version)
-or-
I find you unacceptable (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
her people are unfit to worship me (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 5:3c–d

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. For example:

Now that Israel acts like a prostitute, it has made itself unclean. (New Century Version)
-or-
Israel has defiled herself like a prostitute!

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