The Hebrew and the Greek that are translated in English versions as “prophesy” are translated into Anuak as “sing a song” (source: Loren Bliese), into Balanta-Kentohe as “passing on message of God” (source: Rob Koops), and into Ixcatlán Mazatec with a term that does not only refer to the future, but is “speak on behalf of God” (source: Robert Bascom).
Other translations include: “God making someone to show something in advance” (Ojitlán Chinantec), “God causing someone to think and then say it” (Aguaruna), “speaking God’s thoughts” (Shipibo-Conibo), “God made someone say something” “Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac) (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125), “proclaim God’s message” (Teutila Cuicatec), “speak for God” (Chichimeca-Jonaz), “preach the Word of God” (Lalana Chinantec), “speak God’s words” (Tepeuxila Cuicatec), “that which God’s Spirit will cause one to say one will say” (Mayo) (source for this and four above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.), “say what God wants people to hear” (tell people God wod dat e gii oona fa say) (Gullah) (source: Robert Bascom), and “bring God’s mouth” (Bariai) (source: Bariai Back Translation).
In Luang it is translated with different shades of meaning:
For Acts 3:18, 3:21, 3:25: nurwowohora — “mouth says words that don’t come from one’s own mind.” (“This term refers to an individual’s speaking words that are not his because either a good or bad spirit is at work through him. The speaker is not in control of himself.”)
For Acts 19:6, Acts 21:9: nakotnohora — “talk about.” (“The focus of this term is on telling God’s message for the present as opposed to the future.”)
For Acts 21:11: rora — “foretell” (“The focus of this term is giving God’s message concerning the future. The person who speaks is aware of what he is doing and he is using his own mind, yet it is with God’s power that he foretells the future.”)
Source: Kathy Taber in Notes on Translation 1/1999, p. 9-16.
Ayutla Mixtec: “see that which will happen” (source for this and seven above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
Tagbanwa: “being caused to dream by God” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Chichewa: azidzaona zinthu m’masomphenya: “they will see things as if face-to-face” (interconfessional translation, publ. 1999) (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 69)
The Greek in the books of Revelation and Acts is translated as obq-rmwible: “look-dream” in Natügu. Brenda Boerger (in Beerle-Moor / Voinov, p. 162ff.) tells the story of that translation: “In the book of Revelation, the author, John, talks about having visions. Mr. Simon [the native language translator] and I discussed what this meant and he invented the compound verb obq-rmwible ‘look-dream’ to express it. Interestingly, during village testing no one ever had to ask what this neologism meant.”
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “spirit” in English is translated in Kutu as loho yangu or “spirit which gives people life.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
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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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.
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 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).
Since this verse begins a new section with the LORD still speaking, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch begins with the quote frame “The LORD said again.” Other languages may find this helpful.
And it shall come to pass afterward is literally “And it shall be after thus.” This expression marks the beginning of the new section. Afterward refers to the events of chapters 1 and 2, the locusts and the restoration. For this line New English Bible says “Thereafter the day shall come.” Good News Translation adequately translates it with the single word “Afterward.” And it shall come to pass simply marks the next events as occurring in the future, so it may be left implied since the following verbs are in the future tense. Renderings that are similar to Good News Translation here are “Then afterward” (New Revised Standard Version), “Later” (Contemporary English Version), and “After that” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Bible en français courant).
That I will pour out my spirit on all flesh: The Hebrew verb rendered pour out is usually applied to liquids and implies abundant pouring, a total pouring out, with nothing held back in reserve. The imagery seems to carry over the thought of the abundant rain in verse 23. Note that Acts 2.17 quotes the Septuagint, not the Hebrew text, when it says literally “I will pour out from my spirit on all flesh,” implying that it was not a total pouring out. If possible, the figure of God’s spirit being “poured out” should be retained in translation. If a language cannot refer to a spirit being poured out, the important meaning to translate is that of God giving or sending (or, causing to come down) his spirit in abundance, fully and completely, without holding anything back. Bible en français courant uses a verb meaning to pour out or to spill, with the added meaning of spreading out after spilling, and in this case, spreading out “upon every human being.” For the whole line Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “I will fill all people with my spirit.”
The Hebrew word for spirit also means “wind” and “breath.” When it refers to God’s spirit, it refers to his power as well. The primary significance here is that God’s presence among his people (verse 27) is reinforced by the pouring out of his spirit upon them. In the next lines Joel describes what God’s spirit will do. In the Old Testament the spirit of God is not generally spoken of as a distinct person, as happens in the New Testament. Therefore it may be better not to spell spirit with a capital “S,” as Good News Translation does. When choosing a word for spirit in situations without established church traditions, translators should avoid using a word referring to supernatural spirits, even if these spirits are not evil. It is also clear that terms referring to the spirits of the dead or to impersonal life forces should not be used. Borrowed terms from prestige languages have been used in a number of ethnic languages. Such terms, however, tend to have little meaning in the languages that borrow them.
The Hebrew expression rendered all flesh normally refers to “all humanity” (New Jerusalem Bible), both Israelites and non-Israelites, and can include animals as well. Good News Translation says “everyone,” and De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling has “all that lives.”
Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions: In these three lines a series of groups among God’s people are mentioned: sons, daughters, old men, and young men. Old men and young men refer to young and old alike, and everyone in between. Good News Translation says “old people” and “young people” to include all people, since the Hebrew terms here can be understood to include both men and women.
The Hebrew verb rendered prophesy does not primarily mean to foretell the future but to have a message from God and to proclaim it. Good News Translation says “proclaim my message.” Prophets had this ability by the power of God’s spirit, and young people will have it as well.
Dream dreams and see visions refer to similar experiences. People have dreams when they are asleep, but they have visions when they are awake. God’s spirit gave revelations to the prophets through such events, but now everyone, young and old alike, will have such supernatural experiences. In English it is better to say “have dreams” (Good News Translation) rather than dream dreams, which is a literal rendering. Other languages should use their own natural way of saying it. The last two clauses of this line may be combined into one, as in Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch: “The old and the young will have dreams and visions.”
Quoted with permission from de Blois, Kees & Dorn, Louis. A Handbook on Joel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
2:28a And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people.
“After these events, I will pour out my Spirit on all ⌊the/my⌋ people. -or-
Then Yahweh said, “After those days, I will generously/freely give my Spirit to all ⌊kinds of⌋ people.
2:28b Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your (plur.) sons and your daughters will prophesy. -or-
Your (plur.) sons will speak/tell my word/message, and your (plur.) daughters also.
2:28c your old men will dream dreams,
The elderly among you will have/see ⌊wonderful⌋ dreams, -or-
⌊I will give⌋ dreams to the/your (plur.) old men,
2:28d your young men will see visions.
the youths/young among you will have/receive visions. -or-
and ⌊I will give⌋ visions to the/your (plur.) young men.
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