come to an end / no more

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as some form of “come to an end” or “no more” in these verses in English is translated in the the widely-used Mandarin Chinese Union Version with a historical Chinese idiom: guīyú wú yǒu (歸於無有 / 归于无有), literally “return to nothingness.”

complete verse (Isaiah 29:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 29:20:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, those people who persecute people shall be no more,
    and those who despise others are no more.
    Every sinner shall be cleared away.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “People who have no mercy —
    even their names will be completely destroyed.
    Slandering talk will disappear completely,
    and those who put their eyes to evil work will be destroyed completely.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Because the cruel/ruthless and the people who mock will-disappear. All who are fond of doing sins will-die” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “There will be no more people who ridicule others
    and no more arrogant people.
    And those who plan to do evil things will be executed.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 29:20

The Hebrew particle ki rendered For may be a logical connector or an emphatic marker here. For Revised Standard Version and many other versions it introduces the reason for the reversals in the previous verses: Yahweh will punish those who are ruthless and evil. Good News Translation, New International Version, and Revised English Bible do not translate it.

The ruthless shall come to nought: Cruel tyrants will become powerless and disappear. For the ruthless, see the comments on 13.11 and 25.3. For the Hebrew verb rendered shall come to nought, see the comments on 16.4, where the same verb is translated “is no more.”

And the scoffer cease: Those who mock Yahweh and those who speak for him will also disappear. For the scoffer, see the comments on 28.14. Cease is parallel to come to nought and has the same meaning, so Good News Translation combines these two verbs by rendering the first line as “It will be the end of those who oppress others and show contempt for God.” Bible en français courant has “It will be the end of the tyrants, the elimination of the insolent ones.”

And all who watch to do evil shall be cut off: Yahweh will also eliminate those who plan to do evil. All who watch to do evil is literally “all watchers of trouble.” However, they do not simply watch trouble happening, but cause it to happen. They are always looking for opportunities to do evil. For the Hebrew noun rendered evil, see the comments on 1.13, where it is translated “iniquity.” Shall be cut off means “will be destroyed.” This passive verb can be made active by supplying Yahweh as the subject.

Some translation examples for this verse are:

• Because tyrants will no longer hold power,
mockers [of God] will be no more,
and all who plan evil will be destroyed.

• Indeed, cruel men will come to nothing,
those who scorn Yahweh will be no more,
and all those determined to do evil will be eliminated.

• For cruel persons will be stripped of power,
those who mock Yahweh will be no more,
and he will finish all those who plan evil.

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 .