Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 27:5:
Kupsabiny: “If the enemies of my people want that I save (them), they must/should come and make peace with me.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “But if my enemies say that they desire my protection, they may settle with me. Yes, they certainly may settle with me."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “But it will-be-saved only if it will-make-friend with me, and ask for protection from me.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “unless they request me to protect them; I strongly invite them to make peace with me !’” (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.
The connector Or indicates that this verse expresses an alternative to the previous two lines about attacking the briers and thorns. The alternative is for Israel’s enemies to turn to Yahweh for protection and make peace with him. For the contrast here Good News Translation begins with “But” while Revised English Bible and Bible en français courant use “unless.” New Revised Standard Version has “Or else,” which fits the context of an alternative action better than Or.
Let them lay hold of my protection is literally “let him grab on to my place of refuge.” Yahweh invites these enemies to accept his protection. The pronoun them throughout this verse is masculine singular in Hebrew. It clearly refers to Israel’s enemies here, so them is a good rendering. For the Hebrew word rendered protection, see the comments on 25.4, where it is translated “stronghold.”
Let them make peace with me, let them make peace with me: Yahweh also invites them to make peace with him. He expresses this wish twice for emphasis. Revised English Bible and Bible en français courant begin with the connector “and” to show the implied connection between these lines and the previous one.
Our suggestions for the translation of this verse are:
• Otherwise let them turn to me for protection;
let them make peace with me,
let them make their peace with me.”
• Or else let them accept my protection,
and make their peace with me;
let them make peace with me.”
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 .
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