quietness

The interconfessional Chichewa translation (publ. 1999) uses the ideophone bata to describe complete quietness. (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 105)

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation). Likewise, in Toposa all the different bodies of water are all called by one term as well: nya-name̥ (source: Schröder 2026, p. 101).

In Malagasy culture, the sea is perceived as sacred because it was a path taken by the ancestors. That is why the Malagasy word for the “sea” is ranomasina, which literally means “the sacred water.” The word masina actually has two different meanings: “salted” and “sacred/holy.” Salt is used for the conservation of some foods, such as meat or fish, that are to be set aside for later use. In this sense, the Malagasy phrase for “Holy Spirit” has the literal meaning of “Salted Spirit.” (Source: Brigitte Rabarijaona in The Bible Translator 2022, p. 103ff.)

“Sea” (or: “ocean”) is translated in Tepeuxila Cuicatec as “water land” and in Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac as “very big lake.” (Source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)

complete verse (Jonah 1:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Jonah 1:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then Jonah said, ‘Truly, I know I am the one who caused so that this storm came to you. So, you take me and throw me to this sea. If you do like that, the sea will stabilise/calm down.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Throw me into the ocean, then this storm will stop. I know that you have been caught in this storm because of what I did, he said.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “He answered them, ‘[You (plur.)] pick- me -up and throw- (me) -into the sea, and then the sea will-become-calm and it will- no-longer -trouble you (plur.). For I know that I (am) the reason why this strong storm has-come-upon you (plur.).’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “He said to them, ‘Toss-me into the ocean so-that the typhoon will stop, because I know that I am the reason for this that we are experiencing.’” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “He replied, ‘Pick me up and throw me into the sea. If you do that, it will become calm. I know that this terrible storm is the result of my not doing what Yahweh told me to do.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

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. )

Translation commentary on Jonah 1:12

Jonah advises the sailors to lift him up and throw him into the sea. Only by this human sacrifice, as it were, could the sea be calmed down from its raging. Luther 1984, New American Bible, Revised Standard Version add “that it may quiet down for you,” since the expression is the same as in verse 11, with “for you” replacing “for us.” The drawing of lots has only confirmed for Jonah what he knew all along, that his own actions had caused the storm that was so dangerous for those who traveled with him. There was still the faint possibility that the loss of his life might save the lives of the innocent people on the ship with him. If he were no longer on the ship, then the lives of all the others on board would be safe.

The pronoun it in Good News Translation it will calm down is ambiguous, because it could refer to either the storm or the sea. The result would be essentially the same, whatever the reference is, but the expression that follows needs to be appropriate to the storm or to the sea, depending upon the grammatical reference. If, for example, it refers to the sea, some languages require a rendering such as “it will become smooth again” or “the waves will cease.” If, however, the reference is to the storm, a translation such as “it will not blow any more” or “the wind will stop” may be more appropriate.

It is my fault may be expressed as “I am to blame” or “it is because of me.”

Though it is quite appropriate in English to speak of “being caught in a storm,” this may seem quite strange in some languages, since “being caught” would refer only to a person being caught by another individual or by an animal. Accordingly it may be important to say “this violent storm has surrounded you” or “this great storm has come upon you.” So New American Bible has “that this violent storm has come upon you.”

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. et al. A Handbook on the Book of Jonah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1978, 1982, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Jonah 1:12

1:12a

Pick me up…and cast me into the sea: You may not need to use both the verbs Pick…up and cast in your language. For example:

Throw me into the sea (Good News Translation)

The Hebrew verb which the Berean Standard Bible has translated cast is the same word used in 1:5c for throwing the cargo into the sea. It is also the same word used for the LORD’s action of “hurling” the wind in 1:4a.

1:12b

For I know that I am to blame for this violent storm that has come upon you: Jonah knew that the storm had happened because he had disobeyed the LORD.

General Comment about 1:12

In your language you may need to reorder the parts of this verse to show more clearly how they relate to one another. For example,

Jonah answered them, “I know that it is because of me that you (plur) are in this terrible storm. So take hold of me and throw me into the sea. If you (plur) do that, then it will become calm.”

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