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

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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 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, shukufukus-are-ru (祝福される) or “bless” is used.

(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 Jeremiah 31:23

Verses 23-26 contain a further promise for the restoration of Judah.

Thus says the LORD: See 2.2.

The LORD of hosts: See 2.19.

They shall use these words may be rendered “people will say these words [or, this] again.”

In the text, when I restore their fortunes occurs in the middle of the verse, just before the LORD states what the people will say. But Good News Translation and many others find it more natural to begin the citation with this phrase. For restore their fortunes, see 29.14; 30.3, 18.

The habitation of righteousness is Jerusalem, while the holy hill refers to the “sacred hill” (Good News Translation) on which God’s holy place, the temple, was built. Good News Translation understands habitation of righteousness to mean “the holy place where he [that is, the LORD] lives.” Most translations are fairly literal, calling for a blessing on the hill where righteousness or salvation lives. However, in many languages this will not be very meaningful, and translators should either interpret the expression to mean that the LORD lives there, as in Good News Translation, or use an expression such as “the place [or, hill] where people can find righteousness.” But certainly Good News Translation should be considered a useful model. Another model is “May the LORD bless you, holy place where he lives, you the sacred hill [of Jerusalem].”

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 .