formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

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

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("say")

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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Isaiah 66:1

For the fixed formula Thus says the LORD, which is characteristic of prophetic speech, see the comments on 7.7.

Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool: Heaven as the place of God’s throne can be found in Psa 11.4; 103.19; and 123.1, while the earth as his footstool echoes Psa 99.5 and 132.7. Heaven refers to the physical universe above the physical earth. In English it is better rendered “The heavens” (Revised English Bible). Throne and footstool are figures for the Creator’s role as ruler of the universe—God sits on a throne with a footstool ruling the world. Heaven and earth are the space within which Yahweh reigns supreme. The figure of the footstool may also refer to the Covenant Box in the Temple, which represented God’s presence among his people (see the comments on 60.13; see also 1 Chr 28.2), or to the Temple in Jerusalem (see Lam 2.1). Languages that do not have the term footstool can use a descriptive phrase, such as “place where my feet rest.”

What is the house which you would build for me…?: This is a rhetorical question that makes fun of the people’s idea that God can be confined within the Temple when they rebuild it. If he fills the universe, then how can he be contained within a building? God is not condemning their plans to rebuild the Temple, but he is reminding them that he cannot be locked away within it. The phrase what is the house…? can mean “what kind of house…?” (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Bible en français courant) or “where is the house…?” (so New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Translators have a choice, but their rendering should imply that no such house could exist because it would be too limited a space for the Creator of the universe. For languages that prefer to render this rhetorical question as a strong statement, see the last two examples below.

And what is the place of my rest? is a parallel to the previous question. With this rhetorical question God says it is impossible for any place to be his dwelling. Contemporary English Version translates “In what place will I rest?”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• This is what Yahweh says:
“The heavens are my throne,
and the earth is where my feet rest.
What kind of house do you think you can build for me?
What kind of place can serve as my dwelling?

• This is what the LORD says:
“My throne is the heavens,
and my footrest is the earth;
You cannot build a house for me [to live in],
nor can there be a place for me to occupy.

• Yahweh says the heavens are his throne,
and the earth is where his feet rest,
so there is no way you can build him a house to inhabit,
nor can there be a place for him to dwell there.

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 .