Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 19:25:
Noongar: “But they said, ‘Your Majesty, he has ten coins already, doesn’t he?'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “‘Those whom he commanded were confused, they said: ‘Why like that, King? Because he already has ten pieces!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “‘But, Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten gold-coins.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they said, ‘He already has money, because the money that you caused him to hold was increased ten times.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “”Yes, Sir,’ they said, ‘but emphatically ten is what he already has.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “‘Oh expl.,’ they said,, ‘Master, why increase his even more when he already has a thousand?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
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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 of appropriate suffix title referred to as keishō (敬称) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017 by using the formal title –sama. This is distinct from nominal titles such as “master.” This is evident from the forms such as go-shujin-sama (ご主人様) “master” or “lord” which is the combination of the nominal title shujin “master” with the honorific prefix go- and the suffix title –sama.
In some cases, it can also be used as go-shujin (ご主人), i.e. with the honorific prefix go- but without the suffix title –sama. You can find that in Genesis 23:6, 23:11, 23:15, 24:51, 39:8, 39:9, 44:8, 44:9; 1 Samuel 25:17; and 2 Kings 2:16 and 4:26.
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 choice of a third person singular and plural pronoun (“he,” “she,” “it” and their various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. While it’s not uncommon to avoid pronouns altogether in Japanese, there are is a range of third person pronouns that can be used. In these verses a number of them are used that pay particularly much respect to the referred person (or, in fact, God, as in Exodus 15:2), including kono kata (この方), sono kata (その方), and ano kata (あの方), meaning “this person,” “that person,” and “that person over there.”
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
kai eipan autō ‘and they said to him.’ Subject of eipan are the attendants, or the audience of Jesus, preferable the former.
kurie, echei deka mnas ‘master, he (already) has ten minas.’ echei is emphatic. For the textual problems cf. GOOD NEWS BIBLE and commentaries.
Translation:
He has ten pounds expresses the speakers’ astonishment at the king’s unexpected, and in their eyes unfair decision, cf. “he has ten pounds” (The Four Gospels – a New Translation), “he has ten already” (New English Bible, similarly in many other versions).
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.
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