complete verse (Jeremiah 40:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jeremiah 40:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “But I am today releasing/removing the chains from your hands and releasing you. Go with us to Babylon if you want so that I can take care of you. But if you do not want, stay/live (here). Look, the land is wide, so go where your head likes.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But now, I will-take-off your chains and let you go. If you want, come with me to Babilonia and I will-take-care of you. But if you do- not -want, no problem. Just choose from the whole area/place and you decide wherever you want to go.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But today I am going to take the chains off your wrists and release you. If you want to come with me to Babylon, that will be fine. I will take care of you. But if you do not want to come with me, do not come. Stay here. Look, the entire country is available; you can choose whatever part you want to go to. You can go wherever you wish.’ Then he took the chains off my wrists.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 40:4

Now … today: It may not be natural to say “today” since the time is obviously as he is speaking. In English we may say “Look, I’m taking your chains off now and letting you go.”

Behold: See 1.6.

Hands: Chains are usually placed about a person’s wrists (Good News Translation, New International Version) or arms, rather than about their hands. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates without mentioning the place of the chains: “I am removing your chains….”

If it seems good to you to come with me … if it seems wrong to you to come with me: This is not a question of being right or wrong, but of what Jeremiah would prefer. It may be rendered “If you like to come with me … If you do not want to come with me” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “Come with me … if you like … if you do not want to” (New International Version).

Babylon: In this context it is better to refer to the country, “Babylonia.”

I will look after you well: The meaning is “I will take care of you” (Good News Translation) or “I will take good care of you.” New Jerusalem Bible and Bible en français courant have “I shall look after you.”

See, the whole land is before you: The sense is as in Good News Translation “You have the whole country to choose from.”

Go wherever you think it good and right to go: Again, this is a matter of Jeremiah’s wishes. Good News Translation says “you may go wherever you wish” and New Jerusalem Bible “go wherever you think it best and most suitable to go.” Revised English Bible is shorter: “go wherever you think best.”

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 .