Japanese benefactives (goran)

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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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, goran (ご覧) or “see/behold/look” (itself a combination of “behold/see” [ran] and the honorific prefix go- — see behold / look / see (Japanese honorifics)) is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”

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

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 14:13

Ah, Lord GOD, behold: See the comments at 1.6.

For prophets see 1.5.

As elsewhere, see can mean “to experience” (see 5.12). Therefore not see the sword can be “not experience warfare” or “not have to go to war.” Good News Translation “there will be no war” is also a good rendering.

But I will give you assured peace in this place: Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch shifts to indirect discourse and translates, “The Lord has promised that he will always protect this city.” The problem for translators is to ensure that readers understand that the pronoun I refers to the LORD who is speaking, according to the prophets. It does not refer to Jeremiah or to the prophets. Thus Good News Translation switches to “you.” Assured peace is translated “lasting peace” by New American Bible and New International Version; Revised English Bible has “lasting prosperity” and New Jerusalem Bible and New Revised Standard Version have “true peace.” The Hebrew expression is more literally “peace of reliability” or “peace of truth,” in the sense of a lasting and permanent peace.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .