complete verse (Isaiah 28:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 28:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “God showed them the path of peace
    and the road where no danger is sensed
    but those people did not listen.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He said to them, "This is the place to take rest,
    Come and take a rest here,
    [you] who feel tired. Then this is the place to take a rest." But they did not listen to his words.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “This is what he is-going-to-say: ‘Wish you (plur.) can-get rest in your (plur.) land. But you (plur.) do not want to listen to me.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("say")

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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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Isaiah 28:12

To whom he has said: This quote frame introduces what Yahweh said to the Israelite leaders in the past.

This is rest … and this is repose: The referent for the repeated demonstrative pronoun this is not clear. It could refer to the land promised by God, which is referred to as rest in Deut 12.9. In any case, God refers to a past promise to give his people rest (see Good News Translation).

Give rest to the weary is a command in which the people are called to provide rest for those who are tired and exhausted. However, it is better to understand the Hebrew verb here as a jussive. New International Version and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh do this by saying “let the weary rest” (similarly Bible en français courant). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh also offers an interpretation of this line in a footnote, suggesting that it means “do not embark on any political adventure at this time.” If so, Yahweh is discouraging Israel’s leaders from entering into any political alliance against Assyria.

Yet they would not hear may be rendered “but they would not obey.” The people refused to take Yahweh seriously; they rejected his word.

The overall meaning of this verse is uncertain. For this reason we suggest a fairly literal rendering that allows for different interpretations. Possible models are:

• To whom he said, “This is the place to rest,
let the weary rest;
this is the place to enjoy quiet.”
But they refused to obey.

• He said to them, “Here is where to rest,
let those who are weary find rest;
here is where to seek quietness.”
But they were unwilling to listen.

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 .