complete verse (Job 17:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 17:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “I lean on you, oh God, hear my words,
    Who is able to save me if not you?” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Oh God, please be security for me,
    for who else is there who will be security for me? ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “O God, help me that I would be free. No one can-help me but you (sing.) alone.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Why do you think that we are as stupid as cattle?” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Japanese benefactives (oite)

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 choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, oite (置いて) or “place” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Job 17:3

Lay down a pledge for me with thyself translates the Hebrew “lay down, pledge me.” The language is that of the law court. Job appears now to address God and ask him to act as his guarantor. A guarantor is a friend or relative who provides bail money to obtain a prisoner’s release and guarantee his good conduct. Good News Translation does not keep the legal images. Bible en français courant says “O God, bring me your own guarantee.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “God, do you provide bail? Be my surety.” Other translation models are: “God, pay the price to have me released,” “God, provide the money to free me from prison,” or “Pay the price to set me free.”

Who is there that will give surety for me? translates an idiomatic expression, “who will strike hands with me?” Good News Translation translates this same expression in Proverbs 6.1; 17.18; 22.26, as “responsible for someone else’s debts.” This line is a question whose expected answer is “No one!” Good News Translation translates the line as a negative statement: “There is no one else to support what I say.” Bible en français courant keeps the question: “Aside from you, who else would want to involve himself for me?” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch also asks a question and substitutes a different metaphor: “Who else puts his hand in the fire for me?” Job’s only hope depends on whether God himself will be willing to commit himself on Job’s behalf. This line may also be expressed, for example, “Is there anyone else who will do this for me?” or as a statement, “Nobody else will speak on my behalf.”

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 .