plan / purpose / ways (Japanese honorifics)

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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, a god, or a person or persons to be honored, the honorific prefix go- (御 or ご) can be used, as in go-keikaku (ご計画), a combination of “plan” (keikaku) and the honorific prefix go-. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

complete verse (Jeremiah 32:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 32:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “You prepare great things and do wonders. You know how everybody lives/stays, and you do to everybody according to his/her life/conduct and deeds.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Your plans are very good and your deeds are amazing. You see all doings of the people, and you reward them according to their ways and deeds.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “You make wise plans and you do mighty deeds. You see how all people behave , and you do to them what they deserve.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

work(s) (of God) (Japanese honorifics)

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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-ude (みわざ) or “work (of God)” in the referenced verses.

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

eye (of God) (Japanese honorifics)

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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix on- (御 or み) can be used, as in on-me (御目) or “eye (of God)” in the referenced verses.

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

See also ear (of God) (Japanese honorifics).

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("do/make")

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, s-are-ru (される) or “do/make” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 32:19

Great in counsel and mighty in deed: Good News Translation has “You make wise plans and do mighty things” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “great are your plans and powerful your deeds.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible renders “Excellent counselor and great doer” and Revised English Bible “great in purpose and mighty in action.” Again, Good News Translation makes this passage more readable by beginning the verse with a new sentence.

Whose eyes are open to all the ways of men: Good News Translation has “you see everything that people do.”

Men and man represent two different words in Hebrew, the first one being ʾadam (often used of “mankind”). It may be possible to retain two terms; for example, “people” and “each person.” Although Hebrew (and many English translations) retains masculine references throughout this verse, the meaning is people in general, and inclusive language such as “people” or “person” should be used whenever possible.

Rewarding every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings: Whereas rewarding is normally positive in English, in Hebrew the meaning is more neutral; see, for example, “repay” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) and “giving” (New American Bible). According to the fruit of his doings may be taken as the equivalent of according to his ways, as in Good News Translation, which combines the two expressions and translates “and you reward them according to their actions”; or the two phrases may be understood as “as his ways and the results of his actions deserve” (Jerusalem Bible) or “as that person’s ways and actions deserve” (New Jerusalem Bible).

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 .