complete verse (Job 16:5)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 16:5:

  • Kupsabiny: “But it is not like that, rather I would have strengthened you with my words
    and comforted you while advising you with words.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But with my mouth I would encourage you,
    The words of consolation that I spoke would be a comfort to you.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But I will/would- not -do that. Instead, I will-speak words that can-strengthen and can-give-joy to you (plur.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But, unlike all of you, with what I said I would encourage you
    and try to cause your pain to be less.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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 formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

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

Translation commentary on Job 16:5

I could strengthen you with my mouth: Job’s tone is sarcastic. He could strengthen them by giving them nothing more than words. That is no real sympathy. Mouth is used here in place of words, since its parallel, lips, is used in the next line. Good News Translation translates mouth as “advice.” Bible en français courant has “I would encourage you by sheer talk,” meaning by doing nothing but talking. This line may also be expressed “I could help you by making long speeches,” “I could strengthen you by using lots of words,” or “I could give you lots of advice, and so make you strong.”

And the solace of my lips would assuage your pain: solace translates a Hebrew word meaning “movement, agitation.” It is the “movement of the lips” that is parallel to “my mouth” in line a. The movement of the lips is the figure representing talk or advice, and this is said to relieve the pain. In Hebrew the word translated assuage has no object, but your pain has been supplied by Revised Standard Version. Some scholars interpret the word translated assuage to mean “restrain or withhold,” and so Dhorme “The movement of my lips I would not restrain.” In this view, if Job were in his friends’ place, he would give them all the comfort they required. It seems best, however, to understand line b as Job’s continuing sarcasm, and this may be expressed, for example, “and what I would say to you would make you feel good” or “the words I would say would be sufficient to relieve your pains.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .