complete verse (Isaiah 65:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 65:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “I have prepared for you to be destroyed by sword
    and you shall all be killed,
    because you refused to respond to me when I called you
    and you did not hear when I spoke to you.
    You did evil things to me
    and loved/accepted things that I am not happy with.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I will make the sword your fate,
    and you will all bow down to be killed.
    For when I called you did not answer.
    When I talked, giving ear, you did not listen.
    You did that very work which is not good in my eyes [lit.: before me],
    and you chose to do work that does not please me."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Your (plur.) destiny is death, and you (plur.) of all will-die. For when I called you (plur.) did- not -answer; when I spoke you (plur.) did- not -listen. You (plur.) have-done wickedness before me; and whatever I am not pleased, is what you (plur.) are-doing.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “It is I, not Meni, who will decide/say what will happen to you;
    you will all be slaughtered by swords.
    That will happen because you did not answer
    when I called out to you.
    I spoke to you,
    but you did not pay attention.
    Instead, you did things that I said are evil;
    you chose to do things that do not please me.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

2nd person pronoun with low register (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 choice of a second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person.

In these verses, however, omae (おまえ) is used, a cruder second person pronoun, that Jesus for instance chooses when chiding his disciples. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also first person pronoun with low register and third person pronoun with low register.

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Isaiah 65:12

For the long sentence in this verse and the previous one, see the comments above.

I will destine you to the sword: This clause is an ironic play-on-words with the previous verse. The name of the god of destiny is Meni. I will destine you renders manithi in Hebrew. The implication is that Yahweh, not Meni, will determine the future of those who worship Meni. The future that he promises them is the sword, that is, “a violent death” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant). The sword often stands for war (see, for example, 3.25), but here it is better understood as a metaphor for any kind of destruction.

And all of you shall bow down to the slaughter is parallel to the previous line. All those who are unfaithful to Yahweh will die. The Hebrew verb for bow down can mean to bow in adoration and worship, but here it means to submit to punishment. The Hebrew word for slaughter may imply death in battle, but here it refers to any kind of death. Bible en français courant renders this line as “You will fall on your knees to be massacred.” Good News Translation combines this line with the previous one, saying “It will be your fate to die a violent death.”

The last four lines of the verse explain why Yahweh’s disobedient people face this severe punishment. Although he had appealed directly to them, they did not listen, but continued to go their own evil way.

Because, when I called, you did not answer: God asked these people to obey him, but they refused to do so. The verb called implies an appeal to obedience and service, while the verb answer implies a positive response to the call, resulting in devotion to Yahweh. This metaphorical use of “calling” and “answering” occurs in many other places in the Old Testament (see, for example, 50.2; 66.4). Most of the versions consulted keep these metaphors, and it is likely that in most receptor languages this way of speaking will be understood correctly. The ideas of “calling” and “answering” help to bind this section with the next one, since they also occur in verse 24.

When I spoke, you did not listen is fully parallel in form and meaning with the previous line. The verb listen involves not just hearing but responding positively, so it may be rendered “obey.”

But you did what was evil in my eyes means the unfaithful people did what the LORD considered to be evil. In the Old Testament this statement usually refers to the worship of foreign gods as well as committing other sinful deeds (see, for example, Deut 4.25). It is often used to describe Israel’s kings (see, for example, 1 Kgs 15.34; 16.25).

And chose what I did not delight in is parallel to the previous line. The rebellious people deliberately did what displeased the LORD. Bible en français courant translates the last two lines of this verse as “You do precisely what I consider to be evil; what you have chosen is what displeases me!”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• I will destine you for a violent death,
all of you will be slaughtered;
because when addressed you, you refused to respond,
when I spoke to you, you refused to obey;
Instead, you did what I consider evil,
and you deliberately chose to do what displeases me.”

• I determine your destiny: to death by sword!
All of you will fall to those who slaughter,
because you refused to respond when I called you,
you refused to obey when I spoke to you.
Instead, you did what I view as evil,
and you chose to do what I do not like [or, what I hate].”

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 .