voice (of God) (Japanese honorifics)

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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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-koe (御声) or “voice (of God)” in the referenced verses. This is used specifically to refer to the “voice” of God or used in a reference of God saying something.

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

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

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, chikaw-are-ru (誓われる) or “vow” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Joshua 5:4 - 5:6

The explanation of why the rite of circumcision was necessary is given in verses 4-7; Good News Translation has endeavored to rearrange the material in verses 4-6 for ease of understanding. The Hebrew expression “the men of war” (Revised Standard Version) in verses 4, 6 means males twenty years and older who were eligible for military duty. All those male adults had died during the forty years spent in going from Egypt to Canaan, and the new male generation now had to be circumcised.

Although Good News Translation restructuring of verses 4-6 does make the understanding of the text somewhat easier, certain difficulties still exist. For example, the first sentence begins with a temporal clause that describes an event which took place subsequent to the action of the main clause. This problem is easily solved by inverting the two clauses: “All the Israelite men and boys were circumcised before the people of Israel left Egypt.” The next sentence can then begin “However, they did not circumcise any of the baby boys who were born during the forty years that the people spent crossing the desert.”

The next sentence is highly complex, and some restructuring may be necessary. For example:

• Also, by the end of that time all the men who were of fighting age when they left Egypt had died. They had disobeyed the LORD, and the LORD had sworn that he would not let them see the rich and fertile land that he had promised their ancestors. Or, one may shift to direct discourse: “They had not obeyed the LORD, and so the LORD had sworn, ‘You will not see the rich and fertile land that I promised your ancestors.’ ”

Just as he had sworn: Numbers 14.28-35 reports the Lord’s vow not to allow any male Israelite over twenty years of age to enter Canaan; all of them except Caleb and Joshua would die during the wanderings in the wilderness, and only their children would enter the promised land.

The rich and fertile land (Revised Standard Version “a land flowing with milk and honey”) is a set phrase to describe Canaan (see Exo 3.8; Num 14.8) as opposed to the wilderness where the Israelites had wandered for forty years. A number of translations maintain the Hebraism. This may be an effective device in cultures where the idiom has already become a part of the active vocabulary of the majority of speakers. However, this would certainly not be the case for many languages. In America, for example, church people and people who know certain biblical metaphors through English literature might understand the meaning, but it would otherwise be unclear for the average reader. On the other hand, a number of languages will have their own metaphors which will very effectively carry the meaning of the biblical expression.

He had promised their ancestors represents the Hebrew “The LORD had promised their ancestors (fathers) to give to us.” Here “us” refers to the generation of the writer of the account and the people of his time, who live many years after these historic events. He sees Israel in his own time as the recipients of God’s promise to the ancestors. In order to include the meaning of “us” of the Hebrew text, one may translate:

• The LORD had promised our ancestors that he would give this land to them, and to us, their descendants. But these men who left Egypt did not obey the LORD, and so the LORD said to them, “You will never live in the land which I promised your ancestors….”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 5:6

5:6a

For: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For can also be translated as “because.” It connects verse 5 to verse 6, and it gives an explanation for what is stated in verse 5. Many English versions do not translate this word, and the function is implied. You should use a connecting word that is natural in your language to connect these two verses.

the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years: The Israelites walked from place to place in the wilderness. It took the Israelites forty years to reach Kadesh Barnea. Deuteronomy 1:2 states that they could have walked this distance in eleven days. The Israelites walked for forty years because they disobeyed Yahweh.

in the wilderness: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wilderness refers to a place where no people live.

5:6b

until all the nation’s men of war: This phrase refers to men more than twenty years old and old enough to be soldiers.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

until all the nation, that is, the men of war (New American Standard Bible)

In many languages it may be more natural to combine the two phrases or to delete all the nation’s. For example:

all their soldiers (God’s Word)
-or-
all the men who were old enough to fight in battle (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
the men in the army (Contemporary English Version)

who had come out of Egypt: It was stated in the previous verse that they came out of Egypt, so it may be more natural in some languages to leave this information implicit.

5:6c

since: The word since introduces the reason why all these men died in the wilderness.

they did not obey the LORD: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as obey is literally “listen.” This is an idiom. It means “obey.”

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

they did not obey what Yahweh had commanded

General Comment on 5:6a-c

It may be more natural in some languages to state the reason at the beginning of the sentence instead of at the end. You can reorder the verse so that 5:6c starts the verse. For example:

6c The Israelites did not obey Yahweh. Because they disobeyed him, 6a they had to walk in the wilderness for forty years 6b until all of Israel’s soldiers died.

5:6d

So the LORD vowed: The clause So the LORD vowed means that Yahweh made a promise to them. It may be more natural in some languages to put the indirect object in its normal order. For example:

the Lord had sworn to them (New International Version)

Use whatever order is most natural in your language.

5:6e

never to let them see the land: The clause never to let them see the land indicates that Yahweh did not let them live long enough to enter the land of Canaan.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

he would not let them enter the land ⌊of Canaan⌋
-or-
he would not let them live to see the land ⌊of Canaan⌋

5:6f

He had sworn: The phrase He had sworn means that Yahweh made a vow or a promise.

to their fathers: The phrase to their fathers refers to their actual fathers and also their ancestors.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

to their ancestors
-or-
to their fathers and grandfathers

to give us: There is implied information. The phrase to give us can also be translated as:

to give to us (incl.) ⌊Israelites⌋

The writer of the book of Joshua wrote this many years later. When he said to give us he wrote about himself and the Israelites in his own time. He said that they also received what God had promised to their ancestors.

Here is another way to translate this part of the verse:

Yahweh did not let them see the land which he promised to their ancestors, and which he said that he would give ⌊to them and⌋ to us (incl.)

5:6g

a land flowing with milk and honey: The phrase a land flowing with milk and honey is a Hebrew idiom. In this idiom the rivers flow with milk and honey instead of water. It means that the land was fertile and produced abundant crops. If possible, use vivid language or an idiom which conveys the same meaning in your own language.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

a very fertile land
-or-
a land which produces lots of crops

General Comment on 5:4–6

The structure of 5:4–6 is complex. Some English versions reorder these verses. If you find these verses difficult to translate, you might want to consider reordering them. For example:

4b When the people of Israel left Egypt, 5a all the males were already circumcised. 6a However, during the forty years the people spent crossing the desert, 5c none of the baby boys had been circumcised. 6b Also, by the end of that time all the men who were of fighting age when they left Egypt had died 6c because they had disobeyed the Lord. 6d Just as he had sworn, 6e they were not allowed to see 6g the rich and fertile land 6f that he had promised their ancestors. (Good News Translation)

If you follow the Good News Translation, you will need to look at how it translates 5:7. Verse 5:7 includes information that is implied at the beginning of the unit 5:4–6, specifically the statement about why these men had never been circumcised. Verse 5:7 in the Good News Translation reads:

The sons of these men had never been circumcised, and it was this new generation that Joshua circumcised. (Good News Translation)

You might also want to consider the Contemporary English Version, which reorders 5:4–7.

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