complete verse (Leviticus 22:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 22:20:

  • Kupsabiny: “If a person presents any animal that is with a blemish God does not accept it.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “You are not to offer [an animal] that has defects, for it will not be worthy of acceptance.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You (plur.) do- not -offer one-that-has defects for I will- not -accept this.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Do not bring any animals that have defects, because I will not accept them as an offering from you.” (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 Leviticus 22:20

Compare Deuteronomy 17.1 and Malachi 1.8.

A literal rendering of the structure of this verse may sound odd in many languages. It is a general prohibition, but the consequence of violating the prohibition is given. One way to handle the structure is to say “You must not … But if you do…” or, as in Good News Translation, “If you offer…, the LORD….”

Anything: the word used here is very general, but the context requires “any animal,” as in Good News Translation. Moffatt has “any victim.”

It will not be acceptable: or, in those languages where the passive is not appropriate, “the LORD will not accept it” (if indirect discourse is being used) and “I will not accept it” (where it is a part of direct discourse). Another suggestion is “it will not earn you my [God’s] favor.”

For you: this carries the idea of “on your behalf” but may be better left implicit in some languages.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .