The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 6:11:
Kupsabiny: “and I have prepared for a day/time when I will punish Judah. When I want my people to live in a good way like the old times,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “O Judah, a time of punishment has also been determined for you. ‘When I restore the fortunes of My people. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “And even you (plur.) who come-from-Juda, you (plur.) (are) already appointed to-be-punished. ‘I would/[lit. wish particle] like to restore the good situation of my people.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “You (sing.) also Juda, there-is a determined/judically-decided time of your (sing.)-punishment.’” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “And you people of Judah, I have appointed a time when I will punish you, too. Whenever I wanted to enable my people to prosper again,’” (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 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.
For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed: The previous verses have mentioned geographic locations, so the mention of the name Judah in this line fits the context. A similar combination of the names Israel, Ephraim, and Judah occurs in 5.5. It seems that this line belongs with the previous verse as one paragraph, unless the receptor language will require a new paragraph, perhaps because it is addressed to the other kingdom.
For you also indicates that Judah will not escape punishment, as if only Israel will suffer. However, some scholars interpret this line in combination with the following lines as a restoration of blessings, rather than an ironic way of announcing judgment.
O Judah is the archaic English form of the vocative (see comments on 4.1 and 6.4). Good News Translation says “people of Judah.” As stated before, translators should use the appropriate vocative in the receptor language if there is one.
A harvest is appointed is metaphorical language. In this context it probably does not refer to a harvest of bountiful things, but is an ironic figure for punishment for sins (compare Jer 51.33; Joel 3.13). A harvest is appointed is literally “he set a harvest.” The pronoun “he” probably refers to Yahweh. In view of the fact that the preceding verses use first person singular in reference to Yahweh, it is recommended to do the same here. Good News Translation uses nonfigurative language here: “I have set a time to punish you also for what you are doing.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy is similar with “I have already marked the day of your punishment.” If the harvest figure is retained, it should be clearly marked as a threat; for example, New English Bible says “a harvest of reckoning,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “a cruel harvest awaits.”
There are two different Hebrew text traditions concerning verse 11a and 11b. One tradition links 11b with 11a, assuming that 11b describes the circumstances under which Yahweh has set the harvest for Judah. This is based on the Leningrad Codex and the Aleppo Codex. Translations following this tradition are New Living Translation, King James Version, and English Standard Version. The other tradition is based on Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, which connects 11b with 7.1. The grammatical construction of 11b and 7.1a is similar and the two lines form a parallelism. There are also linguistic arguments that favor this combination. We recommend this approach, which is followed by Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version, NET Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant, and De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling. Good News Translation even includes 11b in 7.1.
A translation model for verse 11a is:
• I have prepared a terrible harvest for you too, Judah!
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 .
In 6:7–10, the LORD spoke about the sins of people in the northern kingdom of Israel. Here in 6:11a, he spoke to the people of the southern kingdom of Judah.
Also for you, O Judah, a harvest is appointed: In this sentence, the LORD warned the people of Judah that he had set a time to judge them.
Also: This word indicates that the LORD had set a time to judge Judah as well as Israel. The judgment for Israel was not made explicit in 6:7–10, but the word Also implies it here.
you, O Judah: The LORD addressed the people of Judah directly through the prophet Hosea.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
as for you, people of Judah (Good News Translation) -or-
For you also, O Judah (New Revised Standard Version)
Use a term of address (vocative) that is natural in your language when a person speaks to a group of people.
a harvest: In this context, the word harvest has a figurative meaning. It refers to the consequences of a person’s behavior. Here it refers to the consequences that the people of Judah will experience when the LORD judges them for their sin.
Here are some other ways to translate this figure of speech:
• Keep the figure of speech and make the meaning of judgment explicit. For example:
a harvest of punishment is also waiting for you (New Living Translation (2004))
• Omit the figure of harvest and translate the meaning directly. For example:
I have set a time to punish you also for what you are doing (Good News Translation)
is appointed: This phrase means that a time is set for the harvest to happen. This is a passive form. In some languages, it may be necessary to use an active verb and make the agent explicit. For example:
I have appointed a time to reap judgment (NET Bible)
Notice that the NET Bible and Good News Translation both use active verbs. They differ in that the NET Bible keeps the figure of reaping whereas the Good News Translation translates the meaning non-figuratively. Express the meaning clearly and naturally in your language.
6:11b–7:1a
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
6:11b when I restoreMy people from captivity.
7:1a When I healIsrael,
There are two main ways to interpret the relationship between the clauses in 6:11b and 7:1a:
(1) The clauses are parallel. Both clauses refer to occasions when the LORD desired to bless his people. These clauses are the first part of a sentence that continues in 7:1. For example:
6:11b When I would restore the fortunes of my people, 7:1a when I would heal Israel, (New Revised Standard Version)
(Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation, New American Bible, NET Bible, New International Version, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible)
(2) The clauses are not parallel. The first clause refers back to the appointed harvest for Judah in 6:11a. That harvest would happen when the LORD restored the fortunes of his people.
With this interpretation, this clause is the final part of the sentence that began with 6:11a. The second clause starts a new sentence. For example:
6:11a For you too, Judah, a harvest is in store, 6:11b when I restore my people’s fortunes. 7:1a Whenever I would heal Israel, (New Jerusalem Bible)
Interpretation (1) is recommended. It best fits the context of the surrounding verses that focus on the sins of the people. Interpretation (2) makes good sense only if the “harvest” mentioned in 6:11a is understood as the LORD’s blessing. However, here it probably refers to his judgment.
6:11b
when I restore My people from captivity: In Hebrew, the phrase when I implies that the LORD desires to do something and that his desire is not fulfilled. The phrase restore My people from captivity is literally “turn back the captivity of my people.” This is a Hebrew idiom. It refers here to the LORD’s desire to restore the prosperity and stability that his people enjoyed in earlier times.
Here are some ways to make explicit the idea of unfulfilled desire:
Whenever I want to restore the fortunes of my people (NET Bible) -or-
At the same time that I desire to restore the fortunes of my people…
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