complete verse (Job 38:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 38:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “I said that the ocean was to stop there
    and those (water/waves) that jumped forward with power stopped there.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I said, "You can only come up to this point,
    no further than this. Your big waves must stop here."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I said-to the sea, ‘You (sing.) are until here only and you (sing.) do- not -overflow anymore; until here only your (sing.) great waves.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

2nd person pronoun with low register (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 second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person.

In these verses, however, omae (おまえ) is used, a cruder second person pronoun, that Jesus for instance chooses when chiding his disciples. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also first person pronoun with low register and third person pronoun with low register.

Translation commentary on Job 38:11

Thus far shall you come, and no farther is God’s command to the sea. “You can come up to here, but you can go no farther.” God is represented here as quoting his own words addressed to the sea.

And here shall your proud waves be stayed translates the Hebrew “here he will put on the pride of your waves.” This line makes sense only by supplying “a limit” as the object of the verb “put.” The Septuagint has “shall be broken,” expressing God’s control over the movement of the sea. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project takes two positions, each equally favored. One is to translate as in Revised Standard Version. The other is to follow the Septuagint “and here will the pride of your waves be broken.” Among modern translations which follow the Septuagint are New Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, and Habel. Those preferring the Hebrew text are Pope, New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant, New International Version, and others. Translators may follow either alternative. Good News Translation has replaced proud waves with “powerful waves” as a more common expression. Verse 11 may also be rendered, for example, as “You, ocean, can come only this far and no farther. Here on the shore your mighty waves must break.” In languages in which only rivers are known, “rivers” may substitute for “sea” or “ocean.”

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 .