complete verse (Isaiah 10:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 10:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “Only a few soldiers shall remain in their land,
    until even a child can count them.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Only very few trees will remain in their forest.
    So that even a child having counted them can write them down.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Only few trees will-remain in its forest. Even a child could-count them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 10:19

The remnant of the trees of his forest …: This is the first time the concept of a remnant occurs explicitly in Isaiah. It was hinted at in 4.3 and in the name of Isaiah’s son in 7.3. It is a special term when applied to Israel, as in verses 20-22 for the first time, but here it has a more general and basic meaning. What is highlighted here is not the fact that some trees remain standing, but that only a few trees remain in Assyria after the destruction of its forests.

Will be so few that a child can write them down is literally “a number it will be and a youth will write them.” The Hebrew word rendered few can mean a large number or a few depending on the context. Here the sense is clearly that very few are left standing. For write them down, we may also say “record them.” Since a child will be able to record them, this emphasizes that only a very small number of trees will remain.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• There will be very few forest trees left;
even a child could record the number.

• So few forest trees will remain that even a child could count them.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .