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. )

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("say")

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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) 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, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

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

Translation commentary on John 9:41

Jesus answered is literally “Jesus said to them.” You would not be guilty is literally “you would not have sin.” In the light of the Old Testament, where sin may refer either to the deed itself or to guilt resulting from it, it is possible to take the word “sin” with the more specific meaning of guilt in this context. Phillips misses the meaning by translating “nobody could blame you.”

You are still guilty is literally “your guilt/sin remains” (see Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible). The verb “to remain,” one of John’s favorite terms, is generally used in a positive sense; here, its connotation is clearly negative.

In some languages a clear distinction is made between “sin” and “guilt.” “Sin” refers to the process of doing wrong, while “guilt” refers to the condemnation which rests upon the individual who has done wrong. In some languages guilt is expressed as “the weight of one’s sins” or “the counting of one’s sins.” In others it may be necessary to explain guilt as a declaration of having sinned, for example, “If you were blind, you could not be condemned for having sinned” or “… you would not be condemned even though you had sinned.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 9:41

9:41a

“If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin: This sentence refers to an unreal situation. It states what was not the actual situation. It seems to imply that the Pharisees were not blind. However, Jesus was really saying that they did not admit that they were blind. That contrasts with “you claim you can see ” in 9:41b. If they would admit that they were blind, then God would forgive them. Consider how it is natural in your language to refer to such unreal situations. You may want to see how you translated the unreal situation in 9:33.

If you were blind: The word If in this context introduces an unfulfilled condition. The condition that was not fulfilled is that they were not blind in the sense of those who did not see in 9:39b. They did not realize that they needed Jesus’ help in order to see spiritual truth. So because they thought that they could see, Jesus could not heal their spiritual blindness. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit:

If ⌊you admitted that⌋ you are ⌊really⌋ blind
-or-
If you ⌊confessed⌋ your ⌊spiritual/real⌋ blindness

you: The pronoun you is plural and refers to the Pharisees and other religious leaders opposed to Jesus.

would not be guilty of sin: The phrase be guilty of sin here refers to God considering someone guilty, that is, responsible for their sin. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

would not be guilty (Good News Translation)
-or-
you wouldn’t be sinners (God’s Word)

9:41b

But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains: The religious leaders claimed that they already had spiritual sight, meaning that they understood and knew God and his will. Because they believed that they could already see, they would not accept healing for their blindness. Their pride made it impossible. They refused to ask for spiritual healing, for help and forgiveness, and so they remained guilty of their sin. Here are other ways to translate this sentence:

But now you say, ‘We see,’ so you continue to be sinners. (God’s Word)
-or-
but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains (English Standard Version)

But since: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But since here introduces the real situation. It also contrasts the unreal situation (and its consequence) in 9:41a with the real situation (and its consequence) in 9:41b. The word since introduces what is true. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

However, because you say that you can see, you are still guilty.
-or-

But the truth is that you say, ‘We see,’ so you are still guilty.

you claim: The word you is masculine plural and refers to the Jewish leaders who were speaking to Jesus.

your guilt remains: This clause indicates that the Jewish leaders continued to be guilty of their sin. They had not asked for or received forgiveness.

Here are other ways to translate this clause:

this means that you are still guilty (Good News Translation)
-or-
you continue to be sinners (God’s Word)
-or-

⌊God⌋ does/can not forgive your sins

General Comment on 9:41b

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of the clauses in this sentence. For example:

But you remain guilty because you claim you can see. (New Living Translation (2004))

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