complete verse (Jeremiah 39:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 39:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “‘Go and search for Jeremiah and take care that he stays well. Do not do anything to (him) but give him whatever he asks for.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Look-after Jeremias, and do not harm him. Do anything he asks.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘Make sure that no one harms him. Take care of him, and do for him whatever he requests you to do.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 39:12

Take is understood by Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Bright to mean “find”; for example, “See to it that you find this man!” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). This certainly fits better than Revised English Bible “Hold him.” Some translators have said “Take him in your charge,” which fits the context well also.

Look after him well represents the Hebrew idiom, “set your eyes on him.” If other languages have similar idioms or others with the same meaning, translators can use these.

Deal with him as he tells you: Good News Translation has “do for him whatever he wants,” and Revised English Bible renders “do for him whatever he asks.”

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 .