Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 8:12:
Kupsabiny: “I wrote for them my many teachings but they saw them as of no value.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “In my law I have written many decrees for them, but they consider that those laws are for other people.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “I have-had-written-down the many laws for them, but they considered them as for others and not for them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “I wrote many laws for them, but they disregarded them, saying that they did not have to obey them because they were different from laws that they had known previously.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
The Greek, Hebrew, and Ge’ez that is translated in English as “Law” or “law” is translated in Mairasi as oro nasinggiei or “prohibited things” (source: Enggavoter 2004) and in Noongar with a capitalized form of the term for “words” (Warrinya) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
In Yucateco the phrase that is used for “law” is “ordered-word” (for “commandment,” it is “spoken-word”) (source: Nida 1947, p. 198) and in Central Tarahumara it is “writing-command.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
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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.
The Hebrew word for ten thousands comes from the same root as the verb for “multiplied” in 8.11, thus linking the two verses through a poetic device. The multitude of God’s laws contrasts with the multitude of the Israelites’ altars.
Were I to write for him my laws by ten thousands: Revised Standard Version understands that God could personally write his laws if he decided to do so. The Hebrew tense here can be understood to say that it has not yet occurred (so Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Einheitsübersetzung, Zürcher Bibel). However, this tense can also indicate that God already wrote many laws by the time of Hosea. Good News Translation seems to understand the text in this way, and this is the preferred interpretation: “I write down countless teachings for the people.” Some translators may want to leave open the possibility for the writing to be done through prophetic inspiration. However, it is important to retain God as the author of the laws, and as the writer as well, if this is possible in the receptor language. The Decalogue, for example, was known to be written by God himself (Exo 24.12; 34.1).
The Hebrew word for laws is torah, which can mean “command” or “teaching,” so Good News Translation says “teachings.” The word used in this context should reflect formal teachings that can be preserved in written form.
My laws by ten thousands, which is exaggerated speech, renders one form of the Hebrew text. Good News Translation is similar with “countless teachings.” Another form reads “the many things of my law” (New International Version) or “my many teachings” (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The difference between the two Hebrew texts will make little difference in many functional-equivalent translations. Another viable interpretation is that the Hebrew word for ten thousands qualifies the number of times the Torah has been written (so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling).
They would be regarded as a strange thing: This line expresses the opinion or attitude the Israelites would have toward God’s teachings, if even that many were written or if they had been written that often. Good News Translation makes their response explicit: “but they reject them as strange and foreign.” In a poetic rendering a more figurative expression would be preferable.
The Hebrew word for a strange thing refers not merely to something unusual or queer, but to something foreign. The attitude of the Israelites toward Yahweh’s laws is especially wrong, since he is their own national God. Good News Translation‘s “strange and foreign” gives the correct sense. Other possible models are “those of a foreigner/stranger” (Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Einheitsübersetzung, Zürcher Bibel; similarly New American Bible) and “something alien” (New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh; similarly New Jerusalem Bible).
A translation model for this verse is:
• I may have written my rules many times,
but for him [or, Israel] they are like strangers.
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 .
These two lines contrast the LORD’s provision of the law with the people’s refusal to follow it:
12a Though I wrote for them the great things of My law,
12b they regarded them as something strange.
8:12a–b
There are two main ways to interpret the relationship between 8:12a and 8:12b:
(1) Verse 8:12a describes an existing situation that led to the unexpected result in 8:12b. For example:
12a Though I write for him the multitude of my instructions, 12b they are regarded as a strange thing. (New Revised Standard Version)
(2) Verse 8:12a describes a hypothetical or imagined situation. If this situation happened, then it would lead to the unexpected result in 8:12b. For example:
12a Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, 12b they would be regarded as a strange thing. (English Standard Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions and commentaries.
Here are some other ways to indicate this relationship:
12a Though I give him many written laws, 12b they are treated as irrelevant; (Revised English Bible) -or-
12a I have written many things for them in my teachings, 12b but they consider these things strange and foreign. (God’s Word)
Use a natural way in your language to indicate this relationship.
8:12a
Though I wrote for them the great things of My law: There is a textual issue here with the phrase (one word in Hebrew) that the Berean Standard Bible translates as great things. There are two options for this phrase in the Masoretic Text:
(1) The first option is the phrase “many things.” For example:
The many teachings I wrote for him (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
(2) The second option is the phrase “ten thousand.” For example:
Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My law (New American Standard Bible)
It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions.
I wrote: The form of the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I wrote can indicate either a present or past action. For example:
I have written many teachings for them (New Century Version) -or-
I write down countless teachings for the people (Good News Translation)
Here the word refers to the teachings or laws that were already written before the time of Hosea. Translate in a way that makes this historical situation clear.
The word does not imply here that the LORD personally wrote the words. It probably refers to the normal way in which he caused/inspired his people to write them.
Here are some ways to translate this line:
I gave them all my laws (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
I caused people to write my many teachings/laws
for them: This phrase indicates that God wrote his teachings for the benefit of his people. The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for them is literally “for him.” The pronoun “him” refers back to Ephraim in the previous verse. Translate this word in a way that clearly refers to the people of Israel.
the great things of My law: In Hebrew, the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as law is literally “torah ” (singular). It refers here to a set of laws rather than a single law. The phrase great things of My law refers to the many written teachings contained in the torah. These include instructions about how to conduct religious ceremonies such as offering sacrifices. They also include instructions about how to live in a moral way.
8:12b
they regarded them as something strange: The people responded to the laws that the LORD gave them as if they were something foreign or unknown. This clause implies that the people ignored or rejected God’s laws.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
they reject them as strange and foreign (Good News Translation) -or-
they act as if those laws don’t apply to them (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
but you ignored them (Contemporary English Version) -or-
they consider them to be irrelevant
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