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

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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 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 4:21

Text:

Instead of tethē ‘put’ (after luchnian ‘lampstand’) of all modern editions of the Greek text, Textus Receptus has epitethē ‘put upon.’

Exegesis:

The verse contains three questions, the first two of which expect a negative answer, and the last a positive answer. A translation should make this clear.

mēti erchetai ‘does it come (to be put under a bushel)? (No!)’: the verb erchetai ‘come’ is here used with the meaning ‘is brought.’

luchnos (only here in Mark) ‘lamp’: this is an oil-burning wick lamp, the wick lying in a shallow bowl filled with oil.

hina hupo ton modion tethē ‘in order that it be placed under the bushel.’

modios (only here in Mark) ‘bushel’: a dry measure of about two gallons; in this passage as Lagrange points out, the reference is probably to a large bowl used to hold (and measure) the grain, under which the lamp would be placed at bedtime. Cf. Translator’s New Testament “measuring-vessel.”

tithēmi ‘place,’ ‘put’: in Mark used in the passive here and 15.47; in the active, 4.30; 6.29, 56; 8.25; 10.16; 12.36; 15.19, 46; 16.6.

klinēn (7.30) ‘bed,’ ‘couch’: perhaps the couch that went with the table at which they reclined for meals. Not to be confused with the krabatos ‘pallet’ of 2.4.

luchnian (only here in Mark) ‘lampstand’: “candle” and “candlestick” (King James Version) are not, of course, an accurate translation of the Greek words.

Translation:

Said must be translated as ‘asked’ in some languages because of the questions which follow.

Since two of the questions imply negative answers and one a positive one, some languages require that these be split, e.g. ‘People do not bring a lamp in and put it under a bushel or under a bed, do they? Don’t they bring it in and put it on a stand?’

As noted above, the lamp in this context is a kind of oil lamp, not a candle or a torch.

The equivalent of ‘measuring vessel’ may be in some languages ‘bucket,’ ‘pail,’ or ‘vessel.’ In some instances there are a number of terms, each denoting a special shape and size of container. In so far as possible the most general object of the approximate equivalent size should be chosen, provided that it is not of material which would immediately ignite (as was done in one language in which the name of a small loosely woven basket was used).

In some instances people do not have an indigenous word for bed, since they sleep either on skins or mats on the floor or in hammocks. In such instances one may use ‘benches for sleeping’ or ‘wide shelf for sleeping’ (Central Tarahumara). Since most Toraja-Sa’dans still sleep on a mat on the floor the expression is here translated ‘in the space under the house’ (the house being built on piles).

The stand may be described as ‘the elevated (or high) place for the lamp.’

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 4:21

Section 4:21–25

Jesus told his disciples to study and share the truths that God revealed to them

In this section Jesus told a parable about a lamp (4:21). He told this parable in order to encourage his disciples to share the gospel and not to hide it. Then he talked about hidden things and urged his disciples to listen carefully to what he told them.

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The parables of the lamp and measuring
-or-
We must not hide the light/truth

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 5:15 (also Matthew 7:2) and Luke 8:16–18 (also Luke 11:33, 6:38, 8:18).

Paragraph 4:21–23

4:21a

Jesus also said to them: This verse is the beginning of a new parable. There is nothing in Greek to indicate when Jesus told this parable. There is nothing to indicate to whom the word them refers. He may have told it to the crowd immediately after the previous parable. He may have told it on a different day to only his disciples. (Lane (page 164), Gundry (page 211) and TRT (page 51) support the view that Jesus is here addressing the crowds. Support for this comes from comparing 4:10 with 4:34, since 4:34 indicates that Jesus did not usually teach the intimate group with parables. However, several commentators, including Gould (page 77) and Lenski (page 179), feel that he was still addressing the inner circle.)

Because of this uncertainty, you should not be specific about the time or the audience. However, you may want to indicate that Jesus was now speaking about another topic. For example:

Jesus also said (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Jesus continued (Good News Bible)
-or-
Jesus told another parable to them

If your language requires you to specify who Jesus was talking to, you may still be able to maintain the ambiguity. For example:

Jesus said to those who were listening

4:21b

Does anyone bring in a lamp to put it under a basket or under a bed?: This is a rhetorical question. This rhetorical question is used to emphasize something negative. It means, “Certainly no one brings in a lamp and puts it under a bowl or under a bed to hide its light.” Translate this in a way that makes it clear that no one ever does this.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Is a lamp ever brought in and put under a bowl or under a bed?
-or-
Can it be that you would bring in a lamp and put it under a bowl or under a bed? Of course not!
-or-
No one ever brings in a lamp and puts it under a bowl or under a bed, does he?

• As a statement. For example:

No one ever brings in a lamp and puts it under a bowl or under a bed!

Does anyone bring in a lamp: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Does anyone bring in a lamp is passive. It is literally: “Surely a lamp is not brought.” This phrase refers to an action that no one would do. People do not bring in a lamp and put it where its light is hidden. The focus here is on the action and not on a specific person who does not do it. Refer to this action in the way that is most natural in your language and use a natural subject.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

Is a lamp brought in…? (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Do we(incl) bring in a lamp…?
-or-
Do you(plur) bring in a lamp…? (New International Version)
-or-
Does anyone bring in a lamp…?

You will probably want to translate the example in 4:21c in a similar way, as well.

bring in: The verb bring indicates that the lamp is ready to be put somewhere in the house. The God’s Word says:

bring…into a room

a lamp: A lamp in Jesus’ time was a small clay bowl in which people put oil that burned and gave light. The bowl was shaped for a wick on one side. The exact kind of lamp is not important here, so you should use a general word for lamp.

basket: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as basket refers to a bowl or clay pot. This type of container held approximately 8.8 liters of grain. You should use a common container of that size that will not let light shine out. Here are some examples:

basket (God’s Word)
-or-
clay pot (Contemporary English Version)

bed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as bed refers to a piece of furniture that people lie on to sleep. Such a piece of furniture had short legs to keep it off the ground. So it was possible to put a lamp underneath it.

If beds in your culture are flat on the floor, you may need to translate this with the name of another piece of furniture. You should use a word that refers to something with short legs under which you could put a small lamp. (Something with short legs would block more light than something with long legs.) This could be a couch, a chair, a low bench, or a cabinet with short legs.

4:21c

Doesn’t he set it on a stand?: This is a rhetorical question. It is an emphatic positive statement that means: “Of course you put a lamp on its stand.” A lamp is put on a stand so that everyone can see its light. Translate this in a way that emphasizes this positive idea. Here are some examples:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Isn’t a lamp placed in a stand?
-or-
Is it not true that you put it on its stand?
-or-
Instead, you put it on its stand, don’t you?

• As a statement. For example:

Indeed, you put it on its stand!

Jesus’ example here is similar to the one in 4:21b. See the examples there. Translate it a natural way in your language.

Doesn’t he: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Doesn’t he introduces another rhetorical question that is in direct contrast to the previous one. Some English versions do not translate this phrase, but indicate that 4:21b expects the answer “no” and 4:21c expects the answer “yes.” Some other translations make the contrast more explicit. For example, the New International Version says “Instead.” Indicate the contrast in a way that is natural in your language.

stand: A stand was a stone or wooden shelf inside the house where people normally put a lamp so that it would give light to the room.

Here are some other ways to translate stand:

an elevated place
-or-
lamp-support
-or-
lampstand (Good News Bible)

General Comment on 4:21b–c

If 4:21b is translated as a question, it may be more natural in some languages to translate 4:21c as part of the answer to the question. For example, the New Century Version says:

Do you hide a lamp under a bowl or under a bed? No! You put the lamp on a lampstand.

In other languages, it may be necessary or helpful to state the purpose of the lamp and the reason someone put it under a basket. This may also help to make the connection between 4:21b–c and 4:22a more clear. For example, the New Living Translation, 1996 edition says:

Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed to shut out the light Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.

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