9When the man with his concubine and his servant got up to leave, his father-in-law, the young woman’s father, said to him, “Look, the day has worn on until it is almost evening. Spend the night. See, the day has drawn to a close. Spend the night here and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get up early in the morning for your journey and go home.”
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “concubine” in English is translated in Kutu as “slave made to be his woman” or “female slave he married” and similarly in Makonde, “a slave who is/was a wife.”
In Kwere it is translated as “small wife.” This is the term for subsequent wives when polygamy is practiced among the Kwere. While they enjoy most of the same rights and privileges as the first wife, their status is not necessarily the same. In Kalanga it is likewise translated with balongwana or “small wife.” (Source for all: project-specific notes in Paratext)
In Newari it is translated as “illegitimate wife” (source: Newari Back Translation).
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Judges 19:9:
Kupsabiny: “But/And when the sun had passed across, the husband and his co-wife got up together with his servant wanting to leave. Then the father-in-law said to him, ‘You can see that it is already late and getting dark. So, stay overnight and enjoy yourself, and you can then leave the home early in the morning.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Then that man with his concubine and his servant once again got up to go. But his father-in-law said — "Look, it is evening already. Stay here tonight and enjoy it. Then first thing tomorrow morning get up and go back home."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “When the Levite, his wife, and his servant were now ready-to-leave, his father/parent-in-law said, ‘Its already afternoon and in-not-a-long-time it-will-be-dark already. (It is) better if you (plur.) just sleep here again. You (plur.) rejoice here first, and tomorrow go-home early.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “In the afternoon, when the man from the tribe of Levi and his slave wife and his servant got up to leave, the woman’s father said, ‘It will soon be dark. The day is almost over. Stay here tonight and have a good/joyful time. Tomorrow morning you can get up early and leave for your home.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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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. The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “stay (overnight)” or “spend the night” or similar in English is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as o-tomari (お泊まり), combining “stay overnight” (tomari) with the respectful prefix o-.
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 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 or a person or persons to be greatly honored, the honorific prefix go- (御 or ご) can be used, as in go-ran (ご覧), a combination of “behold / see” (ran) and the honorific prefix go-.
The same cycle repeats itself, but here the father-in-law must sense they really want to depart, as he gives a very lengthy speech explaining why they should stay. Translators should follow the same pattern as above.
And when the man and his concubine and his servant rose up to depart renders an independent clause in Hebrew, literally “And the man rose up to depart, he and his concubine and his servant.” In Hebrew the focus is on the Levite, who is referred to once again as the man (see verse 19.7). This time the mention of his concubine (see verse 19.1) and his servant (see verse 19.3) may indicate that the Levite was really determined to leave. Rose up to depart may be rendered “prepared to leave” (see comments on verse 19.7).
His father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him: The concubine’s father is prominent here as the narrator describes him in two different ways: his father-in-law, the girl’s father (see verse 19.4). This emphasis seems to add to the building tension. Keeping both phrases may seem too repetitive in some languages, but if possible, it is good to keep the repetitive flavor of the Hebrew. For transition words for this clause, see the comments for the similar sentence in verse 19.8.
Behold, now the day has waned toward evening …: The father’s final speech is long and emphatic. He uses the attention-getting Hebrew word hinneh (Behold) twice, and the Hebrew politeness marker naʾ twice (now and pray). There is also much variation in his speech. The Hebrew verb for tarry is second person plural, but the following exact verb rendered lodge is singular, as is the clause translated let your heart be merry. However, the next verb is plural (you shall arise), while the final one is singular (go home). While all these variations can be kept in the translation, it does not seem necessary to do so. It is very possible that this shifting is part of what Longacre (page 3) calls a “zone of turbulence” which leads up to some climactic moment.
There may be frustration or insistence in the father-in-law’s voice, so Behold, now might be rendered “Now look” (New International Version) or simply “Please.”
The day has waned toward evening is literally “the day is sinking to become evening,” meaning the sun is beginning to set. New International Version and New Living Translation say “it’s almost evening,” and Contemporary English Version has “it’s already late afternoon.” Translators may use an idiomatic expression to designate this time of day.
Pray tarry all night is literally “spend the night please.” For the Hebrew verb rendered tarry all night (lin), see the comments on verse 19.4, where it is translated “lodged.”
Behold, the day draws to its close: This second use of Behold (hinneh) shows that the story is coming to some kind of climax. We may want to use a more emphatic expression, such as “See” (New Revised Standard Version) or “Don’t you see.” The day draws to its close is literally “the day declines [or, bends down],” another idiomatic expression to say the sun is beginning to set. Translators should try to imitate the variety. New International Version says “the day is nearly over,” and Good News Translation has “It will be dark soon.”
Lodge here: Lodge renders the same Hebrew verb translated tarry all night. The adverb here refers to the father’s home. Contemporary English Version says “Stay with us one more night.”
And let your heart be merry: See the comments on verse 19.6. Good News Translation says “have a good time,” while Contemporary English Version says “enjoy yourself.”
And tomorrow you shall arise early in the morning for your journey is literally “and you will arise early tomorrow for your road.” For the Hebrew verb rendered arise early, see verse 19.5. We might say “You can get up early tomorrow for your trip.”
And go home renders well the Hebrew idiomatic expression here, which is literally “and you will go to your tent” (see verse 4.11). Contemporary English Version says “and start home.”
Translation models for this verse are:
• When the Levite, his concubine, and his servant prepared to leave, his father-in-law said to him, “Please, look! It’s already getting late in the day. Why not spend the night here again and enjoy yourself? Tomorrow you can get up early and go home.”
• The man, his wife, and his servant made a move to leave, but the girl’s father said, “Look, the sun’s already going down. Stay one more night and enjoy yourselves. You can get up early tomorrow and go home.”
Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
19:9a When the man got up to depart with his concubine and his servant,
⌊After they had eaten⌋ he and his slave wife and his servant got ready to leave.
-or-
The man and his servant and his wife finally stood up to leave.
19:9b his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is drawing to a close.
Then the woman’s father the father-in-law said “Look, it’s already evening time,
-or-
Then the father-in-law, her father, told him that it was already getting late.
19:9c Please spend the night. See, the day is almost over. Spend the night here, that your heart may be merry.
and the sun is getting low. Stay (plur.) here tonight. It is too late ⌊to start a journey⌋ . Please stay (sing.) here and relax.
-or-
The time had already passed to start a journey. They must stay and have a good time together.
19:9d Then you can get up early tomorrow for your journey home.”
Then you can get up early in the morning and start your journey back home.”
-or-
⌊He told them that⌋ they could leave early the next day.
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