year of Jubilee

The Hebrew that is translated as “(year of) Jubilee” in English is translated in Kwere as mwaka wa kubweleza or “year of return.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In Tatar it is translated as “fiftieth year.” “It was difficult to coin a meaning-based rendering in this language. Since the context already refers to restoration, the translation team felt that a calendar-based rendering of the term itself would be best.§” (Source: Lénart de Regt in The Bible Translator 2017, p. 131ff. )

family / clan / house

The Hebrew terms that are translated as “family” or “clan” or “house” or similar in English are all translated in Kwere as ng’holo or “clan.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In the English translation by Goldingay (2018) it is translated as “kin-group.”

See also tribe.

complete verse (Leviticus 25:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 25:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “Set aside the fiftieth year to become one of release for all people in the whole country. The release shall be for when people return to where their things/possessions are and a person who has been bought as a slave is to be returned to his/their people/family.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “You must consecrate the 50th year. In this the year of Jubilee, all over the land, proclaim liberty. In this year everyone in the land will redeem his own family property, and slaves may return to their own homes.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You (plur.) are-to-consider the 50th year a special year, for this is the time of freedom to slaves so-that they can- now -return to their families and for returning to the owner his land which he had-sold.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Set apart that year, and proclaim that throughout the country, it will be a year of restoring the land and freeing people: All the people who sold their property will receive back the property that they previously owned, and slaves must be freed/allowed to return to their property and their families.” (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 25:10

And: while the common conjunction is used in Hebrew, the context seems to require a stronger transition word here in order to emphasize the connection between this verse and the previous one. Good News Translation has “In this way….” New English Bible has “and so….”

Hallow: or “set … apart” (Good News Translation), “declare … sacred” (New Jerusalem Bible), “consecrate” (New International Version). See 11.44 and 21.8.

Proclaim liberty: if possible this should be translated by a very general term that can be understood as referring to the release of lands which owners have had to sell (see the end of this verse), as well as to freedom for slaves. Or, in some cases, two verbs may be required.

Jubilee: the Hebrew word originally meant “ram” (see Josh 6.5) but by extension was also applied to the “ram’s horn” that was used as a musical instrument (Exo 19.13). Finally, it was also used of the celebration of the Year of Restoration which was characterized by the blowing of the ram’s horn. See also the discussion above under the section heading. In this verse one may translate “It will be a time of restitution for you.” Translators are advised against transliterating the English word.

Return to his property: the context indicates that what is involved here is property that has had to be sold during difficult times. The former owner was allowed during this special year to retake possession of his land. The translation should not give the impression of someone who merely pays a visit to the land he once owned. Compare the more explicit rendering of Good News Translation. Another way of saying this is “they will give back to the man who sold it, or to his children, all land that he sold.”

Return to his family: as in the case of the property, this is not a brief visit to members of the family, but a definitive release from slavery; it is a permanent return to be a part of the clan that the person had left when he became a slave. On the extended meaning of the Hebrew word translated family, see 20.5.

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 .