complete verse (Isaiah 30:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 30:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “But all the people of Judah shall suffer the consequences
    because of a land that does not help at all.
    The land of Egypt is not able to help them,
    but it truly brings them shame and insults.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But, by reason of a nation you will all fall into shame.
    [From these] who are useless to them.
    no one will get to take any help or profit,
    but from these [one] will get only shame and disgrace.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Juda will- just -be-put-to-shame because the people of Egipto has nothing to help them but-rather only brings shame.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 30:4 - 30:5

Verses 4-5 are one sentence in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. Translators can make each verse a separate sentence by omitting the connectors at the beginning of verse 4 (For though, “Although”) and by starting verse 5 with the connector “But” (see the second example below).

For though his officials are at Zoan and his envoys reach Hanes: The connector For introduces verses 4-5 as an explanation for the shame and humiliation of Judah in verse 3. The connector though introduces verse 4 as the condition for the unexpected outcome of shame in verse 5. According to verse 4, officials of Judah have gone already to two cities in Egypt as envoys to make treaty arrangements. The pronoun his refers to King Hezekiah of Judah, though he has not been named. Good News Translation combines his officials and his envoys into “their ambassadors.” The pronoun “their” refers to the people of Judah, which fits this context well. Another possible rendering is “the messengers of the king of Judah.” The cities of Zoan and Hanes are both in the northern part of Egypt, close to the border with Judah. For Zoan see the comments on 19.11. This is the only place in the Bible where the city of Hanes is mentioned.

Every one comes to shame through a people that cannot profit them: Every one refers to all the people of Judah (so Good News Translation). They will be humiliated because of the Egyptians’ undependable help. A people that cannot profit them describes the people of Egypt as unable to provide the help Judah expected to get from them.

That brings neither help nor profit, but shame and disgrace: These two lines describe further the unreliability of Egypt. Instead of bringing help and profit, they bring shame and disgrace. The Hebrew noun rendered disgrace is a synonym for the term translated “humiliation” at the end of verse 3. It refers to being despised and ridiculed by others.

Verse 5 repeats the Hebrew words for shame (also found in verse 3) and profit. It also uses the Hebrew letter lamed twelve times and the letter ʿayin five times. This repetition and alliteration draw attention to the point being made. Good News Translation eliminates the repetition for naturalness in English, but translators should retain the emphasis it conveys in some way.

Some translation examples for this verse are:

• 4 For although Judah’s officials are in Zoan
and its envoys have reached [as far as] Hanes,
5 they all will be humiliated
because of a nation that is unable to benefit them,
a nation that brings neither help nor benefit,
but causes them to be ashamed and despised.”

• 4 The messengers sent by the king of Judah are in Zoan,
and his envoys have gone as far as Hanes.
5 But all [the people of Judah] will be humiliated
by this nation that cannot benefit them.
It cannot offer help or benefit;
rather, it merely brings them into shame and contempt.”

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 .