complete verse (Job 41:33)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 41:33:

  • Kupsabiny: “There is nothing in the world that can be compared with that animal.
    This is an animal that has no fear.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “There is no living creature on earth as fearless as he is.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “There is nothing like him here on earth. He is one creature that without fear.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Honorary "rare" construct denoting God ("create")

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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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, tsuku-rare-ru (造られる) or “create” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Job 41:33 - 41:34

The final two verses of the chapter sum up the description of Leviathan as superior to all other animals. In verse 33 line a may be rendered “There is nothing like him on earth.” Line b is a second statement: a creature without fear. Creature translates “one made” and may be rendered “one made to be fearless” or “a fearless creature.”

He beholds everything that is high is often adjusted and combined with verse 33b to give “everything that is high fears him.” However, the Hebrew seems to make adequate sense without change. Everything that is high refers to proud or haughty animals, and so “He gazes at every proud animal” or, as Dhorme says, “every haughty creature.” Good News Translation has extended the meaning of beholds to “look down on,” which fits well with the context of the next line. Line b is rendered literally by Revised Standard Version as sons of pride. This expression is used in 28.8, “proud beasts,” where it refers generally to “wild animals.” See comments on 28.8. And so the description of Leviathan ends: “He is the king over all the wild animals” or “He considers every other animal to be less than he is. He is the ruler over all the wild animals.”

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 .