grain

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “grain” (or: “corn”) is translated in Kui as “(unthreshed) rice.” Helen Evans (in The Bible Translator 1954, p. 40ff. ) explains: “Padddy [unthreshed rice] is the main crop of the country and rice the staple diet of the people, besides which [grain] is unknown and there is no word for it, and it seemed to us that paddy and rice in the mind of the Kui people stood for all that corn meant to the Jews.” “Paddy” is also the translation in Pa’o Karen (source: Gordon Luce in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 153f. ).

Other translations include: “wheat” (Teutila Cuicatec), “corn” (Lalana Chinantec), “things to eat” (Morelos Nahuatl), “grass corn” (wheat) (Chichimeca-Jonaz) (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), “millet” (Lambya) (source: project-specific notes in Paratext), “food” (Nyamwezi) (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)or ntimumma lujia / “seeds for food” (Lokạạ — “since Lokạạ does not have specific terms for maize and rice that can be described as grains”) (source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

complete verse (Isaiah 30:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 30:23:

  • Kupsabiny: “God shall give you rain
    for the seeds that you have planted to grow.
    Your farms shall produce crops/food
    much and good.
    In those days,
    you shall be grazing where it is broad.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “He will send water from sky for the seeds that you sow in the fields. And the fields will bear fruit nicely and have much grain. On that day the cows and oxen will graze in large fields.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The LORD will-give you (plur.) rain in times of planting-season, and your (plur.) harvest will-be-plentiful. At that time, your (plur.) animals will-graze in the wide grazing-field.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “If you do that, Yahweh will bless you by giving you good rain at the time that you plant your crops. You will have good harvests, and plenty of pasture with grass for your cattle to eat.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Japanese benefactives (-sete)

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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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kao (御顔) or “face (of God)” in the referenced verses.

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

Translation commentary on Isaiah 30:23

In verses 23-26 there is a change in imagery. Here there is the imagery of fields and crops, of rain and water, and of intense light. They are associated with Yahweh’s healing of his people. Since there is a change in imagery here, RSV/NRSV, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch have a paragraph break here, which is helpful

There is a clear literary connection between verses 19-22 and 23-26. Verse 23 begins literally with the phrase “And he gives,” as does verse 20. Both refer to “bread/grain” (verses 20, 23) and “water” (verses 20, 23, 25). However, the bread and water are positive symbols in verses 23 and 25 rather than negative ones, as in verse 20.

And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground: The connector And may be rendered “Then.” It may also be omitted, especially if there is a paragraph break here. The pronoun he refers to “the Lord” (Good News Translation), which some languages may need to indicate at the beginning of new subsection. There are several blessings he will give his people The first one is rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, which may be rendered “rain for the benefit of the crops that you plant.” The land of Judah was often dry, so rain was seen as a great blessing.

And grain, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous: The second gift is a good harvest, which is guaranteed by adequate rainfall. The Hebrew word for grain is lechem, which is rendered “bread” in verse 20. It has a generic meaning here, including any kind of food crop, not grain only. It is better rendered “crops” (Revised English Bible) or “harvest” (Good News Translation) here. The crops will be rich and plenteous. The Hebrew word for rich comes from a root meaning “fat.” The Hebrew word for plenteous comes from the same root as the noun for “oil” (see the comments on “a very fertile hill” at 5.1). Here both these adjectives describe the crops as high in quality and abundant.

In that day your cattle will graze in large pastures: Not only will God bless the crops, but also the livestock. The phrase In that day refers to some future time that God determines, as in 2.11 (see the comments there). The Hebrew word translated cattle does not refer to cows only but to all livestock, including cows, sheep, and goats. Translators should use a generic word for domestic animals here, such as “livestock” (Good News Translation) in English. Judah’s domestic animals will graze in large pastures. They will have abundant pastureland.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• He will also provide rain for the seed you plant in the ground, and the crops that the earth produces will be rich and abundant. At that time your livestock will graze in big pastures.

• He will water the crops you plant in the ground, and the harvest from the earth will be rich and plentiful. In that time your domestic animals will graze in wide meadows.

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 .