Japanese benefactives (sonomama ni shiteoite)

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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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, sonomama ni shiteoite (そのままにしておいて) or “leave it alone” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Luke 1:38

Exegesis:

idou ‘behold,’ with following nominative. This use of idou is probably a Hebraism and expresses readiness to serve or to listen, cf. 1 Sam. 3.5, 6, 8. Renderings like “I am” (e.g. An American Translation), or “here I am” (New English Bible) make explicit what is implied in the phrase i.e. that the following words refer to Mary herself.

hē doulē kuriou ‘the slave (or, servant) of the Lord.’

doulē (also v. 48) ‘female slave,’ ‘bondmaid,’ like doulos often used when someone of high rank is addressed by somebody of lower rank.

genoito moi ‘let it happen to me.’

genoito ‘let it be,’ expresses Mary’s readiness to serve the Lord.

kata to rēma sou ‘according to your word,’ i.e. ‘according to what you have told me’; sou refers to the angel.

Translation:

Mary said. Just as one may better render ‘said’ by ‘asked’ where it introduces a question (see above on 1.18), thus it may be better to translate it by ‘answered’ where it introduces a sentence that clearly is a reply to a preceding utterance. This change is obligatory in some languages, preferable in others, e.g. in order to strengthen the inner structure of the dialogue. — In honorific languages Mary, in addressing the angel, has to use respectful terms; in Marathi these are honorifics of the highest degree, but not the form used to deity.

Handmaid. Often the word for ‘servant’ (for which see on 12.37) can be used, with indication of feminine sex where required. Because God is the one served the aspects of obedience, devotion, or even worship come to the fore, which may lead to the use of a term or expression meaning ‘devotee’ (Marathi), ‘subject’ (Sundanese, Balinese), cf. also, ‘I am the Lord’s person (i.e. subject)’ (Toraja-Sa’dan), ‘I am under the Lord,’ suggesting the being under God’s command as well as under his protection (Sranan Tongo).

Let it be to me according to your word, or, “as you have spoken, so be it” (New English Bible), ‘may be done to me (or, may I be given) all that you have said,’ ‘let God send (lit. cause-to-proceed to) me that which you have just told me about now’ (Tboli). In Southern Subanen the idiom is, ‘I will allow what you said’; Apache has to use, ‘yes, I say: just-what-you-said it-will-be-done-to-me.’

Departed from her. The Greek uses a term for the departure of ordinary mortals; therefore renderings such as ‘faded-away’ (a term for the disappearance of a supernatural being), or, ‘return to heaven,’ are not advisable: they say more than Luke is saying.

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 1:38

1:38a

In the Greek text, Mary begins her answer with a word that introduces and emphasizes the response that she would give to the angel. It is the same word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “now” in 1:20, as “Behold” in 1:31, and as “Look” in 1:36. The Berean Standard Bible does not translate the word here, and some other English versions also do not explicitly translate the word. But since Mary was agreeing to what the Lord wanted, some English versions include that idea here. Some ways to translate it are:

Yes… (NET Bible)
-or-
Here am I… (New Revised Standard Version)

Translate the word in a way is natural in your language for this context. In some languages it may not be necessary to translate it explicitly. See the notes at 1:20a and 1:31a, which discuss the way this word introduces those verses.

I am the Lord’s servant: The phrase I am the Lord’s servant means “I belong to the Lord as his servant.” Mary said this to express her humble submission to whatever the Lord said. Her response showed that she believed what the angel told her and accepted the role of being the mother of the Lord’s son (Jesus). The word Lord refers to God.

servant: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servant refers to a female slave. This word refers to a woman who was owned by another person. She served and obeyed her master or mistress. She probably was not paid, but she received food and a place to live.

In some cultures, slaves may not be known. In other cultures, the word for slave may imply different customs than in biblical culture. If that is true in your language, some ways to translate this are:

person who belonged to someone else
-or-
owned person
-or-
person who serves someone
-or-
worker/servant

Mary answered: The Berean Standard Bible has placed the words Mary answered in the middle of what Mary said. Place them where it is natural in your language.

The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible has translated as answered is the common word that means “said.” Use the word that is most natural in your language to introduce Mary’s response to what the angel said.

1:38b

May it happen to me according to your word: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as May it happen is a form that often expresses a hope, wish, or prayer. Mary wanted or requested that the Lord would do to her exactly what the angel had said. The English word May does not express any doubt here. Some English versions use “Let it be.” This also expresses a hope or request that God would cause his will to happen to her.

Some other ways to translate May it happen to me according to your word are:

I am willing to accept whatever he wants. (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
Let everything you’ve said happen to me. (God’s Word)

according to your word: The phrase according to your word refers back to what the angel said in 1:31–37. He said that Mary would conceive a child without being married.

1:38c

Then the angel left her: After Mary said the words in 1:38a–b, the angel left.

angel: See the note at 1:11a for suggestions about how to translate the word angel. See also angel, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.

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