Jesus heals a boy

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Mark 9:14 - 29 in Mexican Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 9:14-29 into Mexican Sign Language with back-translations into Spanish and English underneath:


© La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

Retrotraducciones en español (haga clic o pulse aquí)

Jesús les advirtió: “En el futuro cercano, los ancianos judíos, los líderes de los sacerdotes y los maestros de la Ley, que no creen en el Hijo del Hombre, lo rechazarán.
Los tres discípulos acordaron a guardar el secreto y Jesús bajó y los discípulos también bajaron. Dijeron uno al otro: “¿Qué significaría resucitar?” “No entiendo.” “Yo tampoco.”

Mientras caminaban pensaron de algo y dijeron: “Jesús, te preguntamos ¿porqué nos dicen los maestros de la Ley que primero vendrá Elías y después el Cristo?”

Jesús (respondió): “Esto es verdad, primero viene Elías para preparar las cosas para que estén listos cuando después viene el Cristo.

Pero ya ha venido Elúas y las personas eran en contra de él, y Elías ha sufrido exactamente como está escrito en el rollo.

En la misma manera el Hijo de Hombre sufrirá y las personas lo rechazarán.”

Jesús y los tres discípulos llegaron caminando y vieron un grupo de maestros de la Ley alrededor de los discípulos, y estaban discutiendo con ellos.

Muchas personas etsaban viendo y se volvieron a ver con sorpresa que Jesús había venido y todos fueron a él y lo saludaron, y Jesús los saludó (preguntando): “¿Qué pasó que están discutiendo?”

Un hombre vino diciendo: “Mi hijo no puede hablar porque tiene un demonio adentro de él. Muchas veces he visto que se cae en el suelo convulsionando, crujiendo sus dientes, con saliva en su cara.”

Ahorita traje my hijo buscando a Jesús, pero no estabas y ya dije a tus discípulos que expulsaran el demonio, pero no lo podían.

Un grupo de los maestros de la Ley vino y están discutiendolo, por eso.”

Jesús (dijo): “Ay, todas estas personas no creen nada. ¿Cómo voy a seguir más estar junto con ellos?, estoy cansado.

Que venga tu hijo.” Las personas ayudaron a recoger al joven.

El demonio adentro vio a Jesús “caray” y estaba revolcando en el suelo convulsionando con saliva en su cara.

Jesús miró hacia abajo y dijo: ¿Cuánto tiempo lo ha tenido?” (El hombre respondió): “Creciendo tenía lo mismo, antes mi hijo ha caído revolcando en el fuego y también ha caído en el agua y casi se hundió.

Yo lo veía muchas veces y descubrí que mi hijo tiene un demonio adentro, que quiere maltratarlo para que muere. Nosotros dos estamos sufriendo, por favor ten compasión, quizá puedes ayudarnos, por favor.”

Jesús (dijo): “¿Quizá puedo? No, tú cree que sí y se puede todo.”

(El hombre respondió): “Sí creo, pero aún tengo dudas en mi mente, ayudame a quitar las dudas.”

Jesús miró alrededor y vio una multitud de gente viniendo, miró al hombre revolcando en el suelo y regañó el demonio: “tú, que cierras su oído de modo que no puede hablar, ahorita te expulso, no lo entres otra vez, jamás.”

Dentro del joven que estaba revolcando en el suelo el domonio gritó y salió, y quedó acostado con sus ojos cerrados.

Las personas que lo vieren (dijeron): “El está muerto.” Pero Jesús lo tomó de la mano y se paró.

Después Jesús y los discípulos fueron a la casa y los discípulos preguntaron: “¿Porqué nosotros no podíamos expulsar el demonio, cómo es?”

Jesús (dijo): “Este demonio es muy fuerte, uds necesitan orar para poder expulsar un demonio, a uds les falta que no hacen oración, es por eso.”


Jesus and the three disciples walked on and arrived and saw a group of teachers of the Law standing around the disciples and they were arguing with them.

Many people were watching and they turned around and were surprised to see that Jesus had come, and they all went to him and greeted him and Jesus greeted them (asking): “What has happened that they are arguing?”

A man came up saying: “My son cannot speak because he has a demon inside him. Many times I have seen him fall in the floor, convulsing, gnashing his teeth with salive running down his face.”

“Just now I brought my son searching for Jesus but you were not there and I told your disciples to drive out the demon but they could not.

“A group of teachers of the Law came and they are arguing about it, that’s why.”

Jesus (said): “Oh no, all these people have no faith at all. How am I going to continue being with them? I am tired.

“Let your son come.” The people helped to bring the young man.

The demon inside saw Jesus “Oh no” and he lay writhing on the ground, convulsing and with saliva running down his face.

Jesus looked down and said: “How much time has he been like this?” (The man answered): “He has had this growing up, before now my son has fallen in the fire convulsing, and he also has fallen in water and almost drowned.

“I have watched him time and again and realized that my son has a demon inside him who wants to mistreat him so that he dies. Both of us are suffering, please take pity on us, maybe you can help us, please.”

Jesus (said): “Maybe I can? No, you need to believe and then everything is possible.”

(The man answered): “Yes I believe, but I still have doubts in my mind, help me and take away the doubts.”

Jesus looked around and saw a great multitude of people coming, he looked at the man writhing on the ground and told off the demon: “You who close his ears so that he cannot speak, I throw you out right now, and do not enter him ever again.”

From inside the young man who was writhing on the ground the demon screamed and went out of him and he lay on the ground with his eyes closed.

The people who saw it (said): “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and he got up.

Afterwards Jesus and the disciples went home and the disciples asked: “Why could we not throw out the demon, how is that?”

Jesus (said): “This demon is very strong, you need to pray in order to be able to throw out a demon, what’s lacking is that you don’t pray at all, that’s why.”

Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios

<< Mark 9:2-13 in Mexican Sign Language
Mark 9:30-32 in Mexican Sign Language >>

Mark 9:14-29 in Russian Sign Language

Following is the translation of Mark 9:14-29 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:


Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество

After the transfiguration Jesus and the three disciples were walking back. There were other disciples waiting for them down below, and there was a large crowd of people, with the teachers of the law standing in the crowd. Jesus’ disciples and the teachers of the law were arguing with each other about something. When the crowd noticed Jesus, the people got excited and ran to meet him. Jesus asked:

— What are you arguing about?

One man stood up from the crowd and said:

— Teacher! A demon has possessed my son. The demon is shaking my son, and my son cannot hear or speak. The spirit is tormenting him, rolling him on the ground, my son’s mouth is foaming, he is gnashing his teeth, his whole body is shaken and frozen. Nothing helps. I asked your disciples to cast out the demon, but they could not.

Jesus looked at them and said:

— O people who have little faith! What shall I do with you? Bring me this boy.

The sick boy was brought to Jesus. When the demon saw Jesus, he shook the boy violently and threw him to the ground, foaming from his mouth.

Jesus asked the boy’s father:

— When did the demon take possession of him?

The father answered:

— A long time ago, since he was a child. The demon has been attacking my son and trying to kill him. Once he threw him into the fire. I barely had time to save him. Once he threw him into the water, I barely saved my son. If you can, please help me! Have mercy.

Jesus said:

— What do you mean “if you can”…? If one has faith, anything is possible.

The boy’s father cried out:

— I have faith! I have faith! If I don’t have enough faith, please help me!

Jesus said to the demon:

— Come out of him! And I forbid you to go back into him!

The demon screamed terribly and came out of the boy, and the boy remained motionless, as if dead. The people around him thought he was dead. But Jesus took the boy by the hand and lifted him up.

Afterward Jesus went into a house. Jesus’ disciples followed him. They began to ask Jesus:

— Teacher! How did you manage to cast out the demon? We tried, but it didn’t work.

Jesus replied:

— The only way to cast out this demon is through prayer!

Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):

После преображения Иисус и три ученика возвращались обратно. Внизу их ждали другие ученики, а вокруг была большая толпа народа; в толпе стояли учителя закона. Ученики Иисуса и учителя закона о чем-то спорили друг с другом. Когда толпа заметила Иисуса, люди обрадовались, побежали к нему навстречу. Иисус спросил:

— О чем у вас спор?

Из народа встал один человек и сказал:

— Учитель! В моего сына вселился бес. Бес сотрясает моего сына, а мой сын не слышит и не может говорить. Дух мучает его, катает его по земле, изо рта у моего сына идет пена, он скрежещет зубами, все тело его сотрясается и цепенеет. Ничто не помогает. Я просил твоих учеников изгнать беса, но они не смогли.

Иисус посмотрел на них и сказал:

— О люди, у которых мало веры! Что же мне делать с вами? Принесите мне этого мальчика.

К Иисусу привели больного мальчика. Когда бес увидел Иисуса, он сильно затряс мальчика, повалил его на землю, изо рта его шла пена.

Иисус спросил отца мальчика:

— Когда бес вселился в него?

Отец ответил:

— Давно, с самого его детства. Бес нападает на моего сына и пытается его погубить. Однажды бросил его в огонь. Я едва успел его спасти. Однажды бросил его в воду, я едва успел спасти сына. Если ты только можешь, прошу, помоги! Смилуйся.

Иисус сказал:

— Что значите «если можешь»?… Если у человека есть вера, то возможно все.

Отец мальчика закричал:

— Я верую! верую! Если мало у меня веры, прошу, помоги!

Иисус сказал бесу:

— Выйди из него! И запрещаю тебе возвращаться в него обратно!

Бес страшно закричал и вышел из мальчика, а мальчик остался лежать неподвижно, словно мертвый. Люди вокруг решили, что он умер. Но Иисус взял мальчика за руку и поднял его.

После этого Иисус вошел в один дом. Ученики Иисуса последовали за ним. Они стали спрашивать Иисуса:

— Учитель! Как тебе удалось изгнать беса? Мы пытались, но у нас ничего не получилось.

Иисус ответил:

— Этого беса можно изгнать только одним — молитвой!

Back-translation by Luka Manevich

<< Mark 9:9-13 in Russian Sign Language
Mark 9:30-32 in Russian Sign Language >>

complete verse (Mark 9:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 9:24:

  • Uma: “The child’s father answered-back loudly: ‘I believe, Lord! Help me please, for I am a person whose faith is lacking.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Immediately the father of the child spoke loudly, he said, ‘I trust already, Sir. Help me so that my trust increases.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then the father of the child spoke loudly, he said, ‘I believe, but just a little yet. Draw my faith tighter!'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then the father of the child raised (lit. made-strong) his voice and said, ‘I believe, but it’s lacking. Please help-me so-that my faith will be-made-sufficient.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The father of that child answered at once saying loudly, ‘I really do believe and trust. Help me that what is still lacking in my believing will be fixed up.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

believe, faith

Translations of the Greek pistis and its various forms that are typically translated as “faith” in English (itself deriving from Latin “fides,” meaning “trust, faith, confidence, reliance, credence”) and “believe” (from Old English belyfan: “to have faith or confidence in a person”) cover a wide range of approaches.

Bratcher and Nida say this (1961, p. 38) (click or tap here to read more):

“Since belief or faith is so essentially an intimate psychological experience, it is not strange that so many terms denoting faith should be highly figurative and represent an almost unlimited range of emotional ‘centers’ and descriptions of relationships, e.g. ‘steadfast his heart’ (Chol), ‘to arrive on the inside’ (Chicahuaxtla Triqui), ‘to conform with the heart’ (Uab Meto), ‘to join the word to the body’ (Uduk), ‘to hear in the insides’ (or ‘to hear within one’s self and not let go’ – Nida 1952) (Laka), ‘to make the mind big for something’ (Sapo), ‘to make the heart straight about’ (Mitla Zapotec), ‘to cause a word to enter the insides’ (Lacandon), ‘to leave one’s heart with’ (Baniwa), ‘to catch in the mind’ (Ngäbere), ‘that which one leans on’ (Vai), ‘to be strong on’ (Shipibo-Conibo), ‘to have no doubts’ (San Blas Kuna), ‘to hear and take into the insides’ (Kare), ‘to accept’ (Pamona).”

Following is a list of (back-) translations from other languages (click or tap here to read more):

  • Western Kanjobal: “truth entering into one’s soul”
  • Highland Puebla Nahuatl: “following close after”
  • Huichol: “conform to the truth”
  • Loma: “lay one’s hand on it”
  • Mashco Piro: “obey-believe”
  • Mossi: “leaning on God” (this and all the above acc. to Nida 1952, p. 119ff.)
  • Tzeltal: “heart believe / heart obedience” (source: Marianna C. Slocum in The Bible Translator 1958, p. 49f. — see also wisdom (Proverbs))
  • Thai: “place one’s heart in” (source: Bratcher / Hatton 2000, p. 37)
  • Cameroon Pidgin: “to put one’s heart in God” (source: Jan Sterk)
  • Kafa: “decide for God only” (source Loren Bliese)
  • Martu Wangka: “sit true to God’s talk” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Muna: kataino lalo or “stickiness of heart” (for “faithfulness”) (source: René van den Berg)
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “confidence” (source: Larson 1998, p. 279)
  • Limos Kalinga: manuttuwa. Wiens (2013) explains: “It goes back to the word for ‘truth’ which is ‘tuttuwa.’ When used as a verb this term is commonly used to mean ‘believe’ as well as ‘obey.'”
  • Ngiemboon: “turn one’s back on someone” (and trusting one won’t be taken advantage of) (source: Stephen Anderson in Holzhausen 1991, p. 42)
  • Mwera uses the same word for “hope” and “faith”: ngulupai (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Kwang: “put one’s chest” (Source: Mark Vanderkooi right here )
  • Yala: ɔtū che or “place heart” (in John 5:24; 5:45; 6:35; 6:47; 12:36; 14:1); other translations include chɛ̄ or “to agree/accept” and chɛ̄ku or “to agree with/accept with/take side with” (source: Linus Otronyi)
  • Matumbi: niu’bi’lyali or “believe / trust / rely (on)” and imani or “religious faith” (from Arabic īmān [إيما]) (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
  • Barí: a word related to standing in a hammock. Bruce Olson (1972, p. 159f.) tells this story — click or tap here to read more)

    One evening, though, Bobby began to ask questions. We were sitting around a fire. The light flickered over him. His face was serious.

    ‘How can I walk on Jesus’ trail?’ he asked. ‘No Motilone [speakers of Barí] has ever done it. It’s a new thing. There is no other Motilone to tell how to do it.’

    I remembered the problems I had had as a boy, how it sometimes appeared impossible to keep on believing in Jesus when my family and friends were so opposed to my commitment. That was what Bobby was going through.

    ‘Bobby,’ I said, ‘do you remember my first Festival of the Arrows, the first time I had seen all the Motilones gathered to sing their song?’ The festival was the most important ceremony in the Motilone culture.

    He nodded. The fire flared up momentarily and I could see his eyes, staring intently at me.

    ‘Do you remember that I was afraid to climb in the high hammocks to sing, for fear that the rope would break? And I told you that I would sing only if I could have one foot in the hammock and one foot on the ground?’

    ‘Yes, Bruchko.’

    ‘And what did you say to me?’

    He laughed. ‘I told you you had to have both feet in the hammock. ‘You have to be suspended,’ I said.’

    ‘Yes,’ I said. ‘You have to be suspended. That is how it is when you follow Jesus, Bobby. No man can tell you how to walk His trail. Only Jesus can. But to find out you have to tie your hammock strings into Him, and be suspended in God.’

    Bobby said nothing. The fire danced in his eyes. Then he stood up and walked off into the darkness.

    The next day he came to me. ‘Bruchko,’ he said, ‘I want to tie my hammock strings into Jesus Christ. But how can I? I can’t see Him or touch Him.’

    ‘You have talked to spirits, haven’t you?’

    ‘Oh,’ he said. ‘I see now.’

    The next day he had a big grin on his face. ‘Bruchko, I’ve tied my hammock strings into Jesus. Now I speak a new language.’

    I didn’t understand what he meant. ‘Have you learned some of the Spanish I speak?’

    He laughed, a clean, sweet laugh. ‘No, Bruchko, I speak a new language.’

    Then I understood. To a Motilone, language is life. If Bobby had a new life, he had a new way of speaking. His speech would be Christ-oriented.

  • Awabakal: ngurruliko: “to know, to perceive by the ear” (as distinct from knowing by sight or by touch — source: Lake, p. 70) (click or tap here to read more)

    “[The missionary translator] Lancelot Threlkeld learned that Awabakal, like many Australian languages, made no distinction between knowing and believing. Of course the distinction only needs to be made where there are rival systems of knowing. The Awabakal language expressed a seamless world. But as the stress on ‘belief’ itself suggests, Christianity has always existed in pluralist settings. Conversion involves deep conviction, not just intellectual assent or understanding. (…) Translating such texts posed a great challenge in Australia. Threlkeld and [his indigenous colleague] Biraban debated the possibilities at length. In the end they opted not to introduce a new term for belief, but to use the Awabakal ngurruliko, meaning ‘to know, to perceive by the ear,’ as distinct from knowing by sight or by touch.”

  • Language in southern Nigeria: a word based on the idiom “lose feathers.” Randy Groff in Wycliffe Bible Translators 2016, p. 65 explains (click or tap here to read more):


    What does losing feathers have to do with faith? [The translator] explained that there is a species of bird in his area that, upon hatching its eggs, loses its feathers. During this molting phase, the mother bird is no longer able to fly away from the nest and look for food for her hungry hatchlings. She has to remain in the nest where she and her babies are completely dependent upon the male bird to bring them food. Without the diligent, dependable work of the male bird, the mother and babies would all die. This scenario was the basis for the word for faith in his language.

  • Teribe: mär: “pick one thing and one thing only” (source: Andy Keener)
  • Tiv: na jighjigh: “give trust” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Luba-Katanga: Twi tabilo: “echo” (click or tap here to read more)

    “Luba-Katanga word for ‘Faith’ in its New Testament connotation is Twi tabilo. This word means ‘echo,’ and the way in which it came to be adapted to the New Testament meaning gives a very good idea of the way in which the translator goes to work. One day a missionary was on a journey through wild and mountainous country. At midday he called his African porters to halt, and as they lay resting in the shade from the merciless heat of the sun. an African picked up a stone and sent it ricocheting down the mountain-side into the ravine below. After some seconds the hollow silence was broken by a plunging, splashing sound from the depths of the dark river-bed. As the echo died away the African said in a wondering whisper ‘Twi tabilo, listen to it.’ So was a precious word captured for the service of the Gospel in its Luba Christian form. Twi tabilo — ‘faith which is the echo of God’s voice in the depths of human sinful hearts, awakened by God Himself, the answer to his own importunate call.’ The faith that is called into being by the divine initiative, God’s own gift to the responsive heart! (Source: Wilfred Bradnock in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 49ff. )

J.A. van Roy (in The Bible Translator 1972, p. 418ff. ) discusses how a translation of “faith” in a an earlier translation into Venda created difficult perceptions of the concept of faith (click or tap here):

The Venda term u tenda, lutendo. This term corresponds to the terms ho dumela (Southern Sotho), and ku pfumela (Tsonga) that have been used in these translations of the Bible, and means “to assent,” “to agree to a suggestion.” It is important to understand this term in the context of the character of the people who use it.

The way in which the Venda use this term reveals much about the priority of interpersonal relationships among them. They place a much higher priority on responding in the way they think they are expected to respond than on telling the truth. Smooth interpersonal relationships, especially with a dominant individual or group, take precedence over everything else.

It is therefore regarded as bad form to refuse directly when asked for something one does not in fact intend to give. The correct way is to agree, u tenda, and then forget about it or find some excuse for not keeping to the agreement. Thus u tenda does not necessarily convey the information that one means what one says. One can tenda verbally while heartily disagreeing with the statement made or having no intention whatsoever to carry out what one has just promised to do. This is not regarded as dishonesty, but is a matter of politeness.

The term u sokou tenda, “to consent reluctantly,” is often used for expressing the fatalistic attitude of the Venda in the face of misfortune or force which he is unable to resist.

The form lutendo was introduced by missionaries to express “faith.”

According to the rules of derivations and their meanings in the lu-class, it should mean “the habit of readily consenting to everything.” But since it is a coined word which does not have a clearly defined set of meanings in everyday speech, it has acquired in church language a meaning of “steadfastness in the Christian life.” Una lutendo means something like “he is steadfast in the face of persecution.” It is quite clear that the term u tenda has no element of “trust” in it. (…)

In “The Christian Minister” of July 1969 we find the following statement about faith by Albert N. Martin: “We must never forget that one of the great issues which the Reformers brought into focus was that faith was something more than an ‘assensus,’ a mere nodding of the head to the body of truth presented by the church as ‘the faith.’ The Reformers set forth the biblical concept that faith was ‘fiducia.’ They made plain that saving faith involved trust, commitment, a trust and commitment involving the whole man with the truth which was believed and with the Christ who was the focus of that truth. The time has come when we need to spell this out clearly in categorical statements so that people will realize that a mere nodding of assent to the doctrines that they are exposed to is not the essence of saving faith. They need to be brought to the understanding that saving faith involves the commitment of the whole man to the whole Christ, as Prophet, Priest and King as he is set forth in the gospel.”

We quote at length from this article because what Martin says of the current concept of faith in the Church is even to a greater extent true of the Venda Church, and because the terms used for communicating that concept in the Venda Bible cannot be expected to communicate anything more than “a mere nodding of assent”. I have during many years of evangelistic work hardly ever come across a Venda who, when confronted with the gospel, would not say, Ndi khou tenda, “I admit the truth of what you say.” What they really mean when saying this amounts to, “I believe that God exists, and I have no objection to the fact that he exists. I suppose that the rest of what you are talking about is also true.” They would often add, Ndi sa tendi hani-hani? “Just imagine my not believing such an obvious fact!” To the experienced evangelist this is a clear indication that his message is rejected in so far as it has been understood at all! To get a negative answer, one would have to press on for a promise that the “convert” will attend the baptism class and come to church on Sundays, and even then he will most probably just tenda in order to get rid of the evangelist, whether he intends to come or not. Isn’t that what u tenda means? So when an inexperienced and gullible white man ventures out on an evangelistic campaign with great enthusiasm, and with great rejoicing returns with a list of hundreds of names of persons who “believed”, he should not afterwards blame the Venda when only one tenth of those who were supposed to be converts actually turn up for baptismal instruction.

Moreover, it is not surprising at all that one often comes across church members of many years’ standing who do not have any assurance of their salvation or even realise that it is possible to have that assurance. They are vhatendi, “consenters.” They have consented to a new way of life, to abandoning (some of) the old customs. Lutendo means to them at most some steadfastness in that new way of life.

The concept of faith in religion is strange to Africa. It is an essential part of a religion of revelation such as Christianity or Islam, but not of a naturalistic religion such as Venda religion, in which not faith and belief are important, but ritual, and not so much the content of the word as the power of it.

The terms employed in the Venda Bible for this vital Christian concept have done nothing to effect a change in the approach of the Venda to religion.

It is a pity that not only in the Venda translation has this been the case, but in all the other Southern Bantu languages. In the Nguni languages the term ukukholwa, “to believe a fact,” has been used for pisteuo, and ukholo, the deverbative of ukukholwa, for pistis. In some of the older Protestant translations in Zulu, but not in the new translation, the term ithemba, “trust”, has been used.

Some languages, including Santali, have two terms — like English (see above) — to differentiate a noun from a verb form. Biswạs is used for “faith,” whereas pạtiạu for “believe.” R.M. Macphail (in The Bible Translator 1961, p. 36ff. ) explains this choice: “While there is little difference between the meaning and use of the two in everyday Santali, in which any word may be used as a verb, we felt that in this way we enriched the translation while making a useful distinction, roughly corresponding to that between ‘faith’ and ‘to believe’ in English.”

Likewise, in Noongar, koort-karni or “heart truth” is used for the noun (“faith”) and djinang-karni or “see true” for the verb (“believe”) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also this devotion on YouVersion .

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Faith (Word Study) .

help (Japanese honorifics)

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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The concept of “help” is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as o-tasuke (お助け), combining “help” (tasuke) with the respectful prefix o-.

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

Japanese benefactives (otasuke)

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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, otasuke (お助け) or “help” 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. )