LORD of hosts

The Hebrew that is translated as “Lord of hosts” in English (or: “Yahweh of Armies” [translation by John Goldingay, 2018], “Hashem, Master of Legions” [ArtScroll Tanach translation, 2011]) is translated in various ways:

  • Kankanaey: “God the Highest Ruler” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: Lord Almighty” (source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Kutu: Mndewa Imulungu or “Lord with all power” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Mandarin Chinese: Wànjūnzhī Yēhéhuá / Shàngzhǔ (万军之耶和华 / 上主) or “Jehovah / Lord of 10,000 [=all] armies”
  • Mandinka: “Yawe God of the universe” (source: Rob Koops)
  • German (Luther) Bible the second part of the name is transliterated: Herr Zebaoth or “Lord Zebaoth” (Swedish, Finnish and Latvian use the same translation strategy). The Russian Orthodox Synod translation uses a transliteration of the second part of the designation as well: Господь Саваоф / Gospod’ Savaof.
  • Finnish Ortodoksinen Liturginen Psalttari (2021): taivaan voimien Herra or “the Lord of the forces of heaven” (source: Seppo Sipilä in The Bible Translator 2011, p. 12ff. )

The traditional French translation of l’Eternel/Yahve/le Seigneur/Seigneur des armées (“Lord of the armies”) presents a problem when listened to, as Jean-Marc Babut explains (in The Bible Translator 1985, p. 411ff. ):

“For the hearer, the traditional translation l’Eternel/Yahvé/le Seigneur des armées can easily be taken in a bad sense: there is nothing, in fact, to prevent the listener from hearing l’Eternel désarmé, ‘the Eternal One disarmed’ or ‘stripped of his power’! (…). Thus the Bible en français courant [publ. 1997] has decided to use the expression Seigneur/Dieu de l’univers, “Lord/God of the Universe”. This formula, which has an undeniably liturgical ring, seems to have been favorably received by users.”

Other, later French Bibles who have chosen a similar strategy, include Parole de Vie (publ. 2017) with Seigneur de l’univers or Bible Segond 21 (publ. 2007) with l’Eternel, le maître de l’univers.

See also Lord of hosts, host / powers, Pantokrator, and Lord Almighty.

complete verse (Malachi 4:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Malachi 4:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “You (plur.) shall trampled sinners down to become ashes on that day.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “On the day I do this you will trample on the wicked and they will be like ashes under your feet," says The LORD Almighty.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When the day comes/arrives that I will-do these things, you (plur.) will-destroy the wicked-ones as-if just like dust which you (plur.) will-trample. I, the LORD Almighty, (am) the(-one) saying this.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “On that day when-I-judge, you will defeat those who do evil and you will repeatedly-step-on (them) like dust.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “At the time when I judge people, you will tread on wicked people as though they were the dirt under your feet. That is what I, the Commander of the armies of angels, promise.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also pronoun for “God”.

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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 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. )

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("say")

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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Malachi 4:3

And you shall tread down the wicked: You refers to the people faithful to God, and is of course plural. Tread down is a pictorial way of saying “defeat,” and many translators will be able to keep the same figure, as Contemporary English Version does with “trample.” For translators who cannot keep the figure, Good News Translation offers a model with “overcome.”

For they will be ashes under the soles of your feet: This clause continues the picture in verse 1. The wicked will have been burnt up completely, so that they will be like ashes for the faithful to walk over. This interpretation is more relevant to the context than “dust” in Good News Translation. The idea is that the faithful will share in the benefits of the LORD’s victory over the wicked, rather than that they will themselves defeat the wicked. In some languages it will be more natural to translate the metaphor as a simile, “like ashes.” Standing on the enemy is a symbol of victory over them (compare Josh 10.24). In some languages it will be sufficient to translate this clause using “feet” without mentioning soles; for example, “… as though they were ashes under your feet” (Contemporary English Version).

A possible model for the first part of this verse is “Your feet will walk all over the wicked, because they will have been turned to ashes.”

On the day when I act: These words are the same as in 3.17, and here as there are better translated “on the day that I am preparing” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh; similarly Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

Says the LORD of hosts: This is the quotation formula that marks the climax and conclusion of the sixth dispute. In many languages it will be best to translate it as a separate sentence, “This is what the LORD Almighty has said” (as in Moffatt, Contemporary English Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Malachi. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Malachi 4:3

4:3a

Then: The word Then in the Berean Standard Bible translates the Hebrew conjunction w-. Here it introduces another event which will happen for the LORD’s people on the day when he comes. Many English versions translate it as “and” or “then” or omit it. Others use a time phrase. For example:

On the day when I act, you will overcome the wicked. (Good News Translation)

Use the option that is most natural in your language for this context.

you will trample the wicked: The Hebrew phrase which the Berean Standard Bible translates as you will trample the wicked literally means that the righteous people will walk on those who are wicked. They will press or crush them with their feet. This is a symbol which may refer to two different customs of that time:

(a) When people made wine, they walked on the grapes, crushing them with their feet in a “winepress.” In the Bible, this process is used as a symbol for God’s judgement. For example: “the winepress of the wrath of God” (Revelation 14:19).

(b) When people conquered their enemies, they often made the enemies lie down so that they could put their feet on the enemies’ necks. That was a symbol of complete victory.

In this verse the expression symbolizes that the LORD will give the righteous people complete victory over the wicked. There are several options for translation:

• Translate literally. For example:

you will trample those who are evil. (Contemporary English Version)

• Translate the meaning of the symbol directly. For example:

you will overcome the wicked. (Good News Translation)

• Use a simile. For example:

you will triumph over the wicked, as though you were walking on them.

Use an option which is appropriate for your language.

the wicked: The Hebrew word which the Berean Standard Bible translates as wicked is the plural form of the same word which was used in 3:18. See the notes on 3:18a and 4:1b. In these verses the LORD referred to the same group of people, that is, those who did evil.

4:3b

for: The Hebrew connector ki which the Berean Standard Bible translates as for introduces a clause which adds details to explain 4:3a. Here are some ways that English versions have translated it:

you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet… (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Then you will crush the wicked like ashes under your feet… (New Century Version)

Use a natural connection in your language for this context.

they will be ashes under the soles of your feet: The Hebrew word which the Berean Standard Bible translates as ashes can mean either “ashes” or “dust:”

(1) It refers to ashes. It adds to the idea of 4:1, which states that evildoers will be completely burnt. Then the righteous will trample on their ashes. In that way they participate symbolically in their punishment.

(2) It refers to dust. It symbolizes the complete humiliation and defeat of the wicked.

(Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004), Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

Either option is acceptable, and you should use the one that communicates best in your language.

The Hebrew expression which the Berean Standard Bible translates as they will be ashes under the soles of your feet is a metaphor. Here are some translation possibilities:

• Translate literally. For example:

they will be ashes under the soles of your feet. (New International Version)

• Use a simile without stating its meaning. For example:

for they will be like ashes under the soles of your feet. (NET Bible)

• Translate the meaning of the symbol and then use a simile. For example:

You will triumph over them as completely as though they were ashes under your feet.

Be sure to use an option which will connect naturally with your translation of 4:3a.

under the soles of your feet: This reference to a specific part of the foot makes the word picture more vivid in Hebrew. In some languages it may be more natural to make the reference general. For example:

like ashes under your feet. (New Century Version)

4:3c

on the day I am preparing: This is the same phrase as in 3:17c. Try to translate it in the same way here.

4:3d

says the LORD of Hosts: See the note on 3:1f.

the LORD of Hosts: See the note on 3:1f.

General Comment on 4:3a–d

In some languages it may be more natural to re-order some of the information in this verse. For example:

3c When I come to bring justice, 3a you will trample those who are evil, 3b as though they were ashes under your feet. 3d I, the Lord All-Powerful, have spoken! (Contemporary English Version)

Paragraph 4:4

© 2007 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.