complete verse (Isaiah 5:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 5:20:

  • Kupsabiny: “They are badly off
    those people turn evil around to become goodness,
    and turn goodness around to become evil.
    Those who turn darkness to become light.
    and turn light to become darkness.
    Those who make something bitter to become sweet,
    and make the sweet to become bitter.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Alas to those who say that evil is good
    and good is evil,
    [who say] that darkness is light
    and light is darkness,
    and [who] say that bitter is sweet.
    and that sweet is bitter.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You (plur.) are-to-be-pitied who consider as bad what is good and as good what is bad. You (plur.) call the darkness as light and the light you (plur.) call as darkness. You (plur.) make what is bitter into sweet and you (plur.) what is sweet into bitter.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 5:20

The fourth Woe Oracle gives three examples of the way in which evil people turn everything upside down. The initial Woe serves all three examples. This is evident from the way in which the Hebrew begins each example with a participle (rendered those who call, who put, and who put). This gives each example a similar form. We also note that the negative element is put first in each of the examples. This verse is another illustration of the way Isaiah uses multiple expressions to strengthen his point.

Those who call evil good and good evil is literally “those who say evil [is] good and good [is] evil,” that is, “they say that things that are evil are good and things that are good are evil.” Call may be rendered “regard” or “consider.” For and good evil, the same verb “call” is understood, and may be made explicit if needed.

Who put darkness for light and light for darkness: These two lines and the next two use metaphors to say the same thing as the first two lines. The verb put may also be rendered “regard” in this context. New American Bible uses the verb “change” while New Jerusalem Bible has “substitute.” For these two lines New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “Who present darkness as light And light as darkness.”

Who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter: Things that are bitter (that is, bad tasting) are regarded as sweet, good tasting things, and things that are sweet are regarded as tasting bitter.

Each of the three examples is an illustration. They are the prophet’s way of saying that Israel turns all values upside down. The use of Woe implies that such a reversal of values is wrong, even foolish. Israel lacks understanding (compare verse 13); but even worse than that, they deliberately twist the truth.

Translators should have no trouble rendering the sense of these examples. However, the abstract values of evil, goodness, bitterness, and sweetness may need to be treated as adjectives by saying “evil things,” “good things,” “bitter things” and “sweet things,” or something similar.

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 .