Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 18:2:
Kupsabiny: “‘Go down to the house of a man who prepares pots so that I can show you something there.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “‘You (sing.) go to the potter’s house[lit. to the house who makes pot/s], and there I will-speak to you (sing.) my message.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “‘Go to the shop of the man who makes clay pots. I will give you a message there.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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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 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.
The text says go down, which may indicate that the potter’s house was in the lower part of the city, perhaps where there was a water supply. Most translators retain this, but if it is too awkward, translators can simply say “go.”
Potter’s house: Evidently the making of pottery was a profitable business in ancient Israel. Archaeologists have found numerous pottery pieces, dating from all periods of Israel’s history. Clay was shaped as bowls, pots or other vessels, then baked. While the house may have been where the potter and his family lived, it was also obviously his workplace.
I will let you hear my words is more naturally expressed as in Good News Translation “I will give you my message” or Revised English Bible “I shall tell you what I have to say.”
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 .
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