1st person pronoun referring to God (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 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”.

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 Mark 2:17

Text:

After hamartōlous ‘sinners’ Textus Receptus adds eis metanoian ‘to repentance’ (assimilated from the parallel passage Lk. 5.32): all modern editions of the Greek text reject eis metanoian.

Exegesis:

autois ‘to them’: that is, to those who asked the question.

chreian (2.25; 11.3; 14.63) ‘need,’ ‘necessity’: echein chreian means ‘be in need,’ ‘lack something’ .

iatrou (5.26) ‘of a physician.’

hoi ischuontes ‘those who are strong,’ ‘those who are healthy’: the verb ischuō ‘be strong,’ ‘be able’ occurs further in 5.4; 9.18; 14.37. In contrast, in this verse, with hoi kakōs echontes (cf. 1.32) ‘those who are ill,’ hoi ischuontes are ‘those who are well,’ ‘those who are in good health.’

ēlthon ‘I came’: the meaning here is more than merely local and temporal (cf. the same use of the verb in 10.45). There is reference here to the whole mission and purpose of Jesus’ ministry (whether or not we understand, with Lagrange, that ‘I came’ means ‘I came into the world’ with a reference to his preexistence).

kalesai ‘call’: the word in this passage carries theological content, and does not mean ‘invite to eat.’

dikaious … hamartōlous ‘righteous … sinners’: the words reflect the attitude of the Pharisees toward themselves (cf. Lk. 16.15) and others (cf. John 7.49). There is, perhaps, a tinge of irony in Jesus’ use of these words (cf. Rawlinson).

Translation:

Heard it may be in some languages best translated as ‘heard what they said,’ in order to make the reference precise.

To them, referring to the scribes, must often be made quite explicit, for there are three other intervening third person plural referents: the sinners, the tax collectors, and the disciples.

Well is often ‘strong,’ ‘healthy’ or just ‘not sick.’

To have no need may be variously rendered: ‘do not go looking for’ (Southern Subanen), ‘do not have to consult’ (Barrow Eskimo), ‘do not go in search of a physician’ (Pamona).

Physician should be translated by a respectful term applied to the medical profession. This may be either the word used for the foreign mission doctor (if there is a special usage applied to this type of person) or the name of the indigenous medicine man, who may not be highly regarded by foreigners but who may enjoy a great deal more prestige among the local people than a translator may suspect.

The extent of ellipsis which may be employed in translating the clause but those who are sick depends upon the syntactic requirements of the receptor language. In some instances the full form must be given, ‘but those who are sick need a doctor.’

In order that came may mean more than simply ‘to come to this banquet,’ it may be useful to employ the most generic expression possible, which would also be used in phrases referring to ‘the coming of the Lord.’ This would then permit this phrase to express more of its theological content.

There is a tendency to translate righteous merely as ‘the good ones.’ This may be all that can be done in some languages, but wherever possible it is advantageous to attempt to find some word which will indicate more of the idea of conformity to standard, so that a differentiation may be made between ‘good’ and ‘righteous.’ On the other hand, it is not advisable to translate righteous as ‘to have no sin,’ for this involves many theological problems which are better not introduced in such a general word as ‘righteous.’

The most common expression for righteous involves the concept of ‘straightness,’ though this may be expressed in a number of ways: ‘to be straight’ (Bambara, Southern Bobo Madaré, Chokwe, Amganad Ifugao, Chol, Maninka, Toraja-Sa’dan, Pamona, Batak Toba), ‘to follow the straight way,’ ‘to straight-straight,’ a reduplicated form (Laka), and ‘to have a straight heart’ (Highland Puebla Nahuatl, Kekchi). Some languages imply conformity to truth, e.g. ‘to do the truth’ (Kipsigis), ‘to do according to the truth’ (Mesquital Otomi), and ‘to have truth’ (Huautla Mazatec). The sense of obligation is highlighted in other instances, e.g. ‘to fulfill what one should do’ (Piro), ‘people who are true’ (Indonesian), ‘to do just so’ (Navajo), and ‘to do as it should be’ (Anuak). In some languages, of course, certain highly figurative expressions are used, e.g. ‘to have a white stomach’ (Mossi ).

In Nuer there is a complex concept of ‘right’ vs. ‘left,’ in which ‘right’ indicates that which is masculine, strong, good, and moral, and ‘left’ denotes what is feminine, weak, and sinful (a strictly masculine viewpoint!) The ‘way of right’ is therefore righteousness, but of course women may also attain this way, for the opposition is more classificatory than descriptive.

But sinners may need expansion into its fuller implied form, i.e. ‘but I came to call sinners.’

If the translation in question must follow a text having to repentance, see 1.4 for comments on the lexical problems involved in repentance. The syntactic problems often require an expansion, e.g. ‘call sinners so that they would change their hearts.’

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 2:17

2:17

In this verse Jesus responded to the Pharisees’ question in 2:16 with a proverb and applied the proverb to his own work. Notice that the proverb and the way that Jesus applied it are parallel, and the similar parts are in the same order:

It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

Jesus was comparing healthy people to righteous ones and sick people to sinners. He was comparing himself to a doctor.

Jesus used the words “healthy,” “sick,” and “doctor” as figures of speech. The “healthy” people represent people who think that they are already righteous and do not need any help. The “sick” represent people who know that they are sinners and need Jesus’ help. The “doctor” represents Jesus, who can help the sinners to become righteous.

It is important that people understand this figurative meaning.

2:17a

In Greek 2:17a begins with a common conjunction that the Revised Standard Version translates as “And.” In this context it introduces Jesus’ response to the Pharisees. The Berean Standard Bible does not explicitly translate this conjunction, but you should introduce this change in subject in the way that is natural in your language.

On hearing this: This clause indicates that Jesus heard what the Pharisees had asked his disciples in 2:16.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Jesus heard them (Good News Bible)
-or-
When Jesus heard that (God’s Word)

this: This Greek word this refers to the question that the Pharisees had asked his disciples.

Jesus told them: Although the Pharisees asked their question to the disciples, Jesus is the one who answered it.

told: In this context the verb told introduces a comparison that is a proverb. In some languages it may be helpful to use a verb or expression that people use when they tell a proverb or use a comparison. For example:

Jesus responded with this proverb
-or-
Jesus answered them with a comparison

them: This word them refers to the Pharisees.

2:17b

In this verse Jesus was using irony. See the General Comment on 2:17a–c at the end of the notes for 2:17c for an explanation. It is good to read this explanation before you decide how to translate the verse.

It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick: This verse is in the form of a proverb. Consider how to translate it so that it sounds like a proverb. There may be a traditional saying with a similar meaning in your own language.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

Sick people are the ones who crowd into the doctor’s house, not healthy ones.
-or-
There are no healthy people lining up to see the doctor.

It is not the healthy who need a doctor: The phrase It is not the healthy who need a doctor means that people who are healthy do not need a doctor to cure them. People in Jesus’ time did not go to see doctors when they were well.

need a doctor: In some languages it will be necessary to make explicit in what way people need a doctor. For example:

need a doctor to come and see them
-or-
need a doctor to help/heal them
-or-
need to consult a doctor

but the sick: The phrase but the sick is an ellipsis. In this context it means “but the sick people are the people who need a doctor.” People who know that they are sick are the ones who will go to a doctor for help.

2:17c

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners: In this statement, Jesus used the proverb (in 2:17b) to explain the reason that he was eating with sinners. Jesus came to call people who were “sick with sin” to repent and be with him. Jesus did not come to call people who were already righteous. That would be like telling healthy people to go to a doctor.

I have not come to call the righteous: Jesus used the phrase I have not come to introduce a general statement about the purpose of his ministry. He was not referring specifically to his purpose for coming to Levi’s house. In some languages it may be necessary to express the meaning in a different way. For example:

My work is not to call the righteous

call: In this context the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as call means “invite.” Jesus did not specify exactly what he was inviting sinners to do. It is likely that he was inviting (telling) them to repent and be his disciples. (The call to repent is an important theme in Mark, and the call to be his disciple is an important theme in this context.)

the righteous: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as righteous refers to people who live according to God’s standards. In other words, they consistently do what is right.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

those who obey God’s law
-or-
those who do what is right

In some languages there may be an idiom to describe this. For example:

those who follow a straight path
-or-
upright people

In this context Jesus was using irony. There are no truly righteous people because everyone has sinned. He may have referred to people who think that they are doing what is right and do not recognize their sins.

but sinners: The phrase but sinners is an ellipsis. Its full form is “but I came to call sinners.”

sinners: The word sinners refers here to people who have sinned and displeased God.

General Comment on 2:17a–c

In this verse Jesus implied that the Pharisees thought they were already righteous. That was the reason that they would not come to him for help to become truly righteous. Jesus did not mean that the tax collectors and sinners were the only sinners. He implied that they knew they needed him, just like sick people know that they need a doctor. (There are other ways to think about the irony here. In one sense, no one fully recognizes his own sinfulness, and there is no one who is truly righteous. It is impossible for a person to see himself as God sees him unless God reveals that to him. Jesus came to offer salvation to all people. He was helping all people to recognize their sinfulness and turn to him, just as sick people turn to a doctor to help them. Only Jesus can make a person truly righteous so that the person is able to always do what is right. )

In some languages it may be necessary to make some of the implied information explicit.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

When Jesus heard this, he replied with a proverb, “People who think they are healthy do not go to a doctor. It is the sick people who know that they need a doctor. Like that doctor, my work is not to invite people who think they are righteous to repent. I came to invite those who know that they are sinners to repent.”
-or-
When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” (New Living Translation)

In some languages it may be more natural to use a different order for some of the information. For example:

When Jesus heard this, he said, “It is sick people who know that they need a doctor. People who think they are healthy do not seek a doctor. I came to invite people who know they are sinners to be with me. I did not come for those who think they are already righteous.”

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