inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Neh 6:9)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the exclusive pronoun, excluding the reader.

complete verse (Nehemiah 6:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Nehemiah 6:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “Those people were trying to frighten us thinking that they would break down what we have decided and stop the work. So, I prayed that we get the strength to continue with the work.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I knew that they are- just -threathening us (excl.) so-that our (excl.) work will-be-stopped. But I prayed to God that he will-strengthen me more.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They were all trying to frighten us (excl.) so that we (excl.) would be discouraged and the work would not be-continued, but I prayed saying, ‘Lord God, please strengthen us (excl.) today/now.’” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “I said that because I knew that they were trying to cause us to be afraid, with the result that we would stop working on the wall. So I actually became more determined (OR, I prayed to God to help me) to continue the work.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Japanese benefactives (chikarazukete)

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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, chikarazukete (力づけて) or “strengthen” 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. )

Translation commentary on Nehemiah 6:9

For they all wanted to frighten us: The narration continues with Nehemiah’s explanation of the events that were taking place. They all refers to all the enemies in verse 1. Nehemiah considered it to be a conspiracy on the part of their enemies to frighten him, especially by threatening to report him to the king. To frighten is to cause someone to become afraid and this idea is repeated in the following verses (13, 14, 19). Some languages may use a causative verb form while others will use an expression such as “to throw fear into the body of someone.”

Thinking …: Using the form of direct quotation, Nehemiah reports the thoughts of their enemies. The expectation or hope of the enemies is that Their hands will drop from the work, that is, that the Jews will become discouraged by the threats and will stop the work. In some languages a similar expression may be used, for example, “their hands will weaken,” “their hands will become cold,” or “their bodies will cool down.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “They will desist from the work,” while New Jerusalem Bible has “They will become demoralised over the work.”

It will not be done: The primary result that the enemies hoped for was that the work of rebuilding Jerusalem would not be achieved. In some languages this will be expressed with a construction that expresses a condition; for example, “It will not reach a state of completion.”

But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands: “So now” was used in Sanballat’s message to introduce his dramatic call to Nehemiah to meet together for consultation in verse 7 above. Here the same Hebrew expression behind “So now” is used adversatively by Nehemiah to turn his plea to God, so Revised Standard Version renders it But now in this context. The words O God are not in the Hebrew text. God is a conjectural addition on the assumption that this is a prayer. Good News Translation makes this even more explicit by adding the words “I prayed” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Traduction œcuménique de la Bible leaves it somewhat ambiguous: “And now, strengthen my hands!” It does not indicate who is being addressed. Good News Translation understands my hands to represent the entire person in the act of working. It eliminates the figure of speech and renders strengthen thou my hands in simple language: “make me strong” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Bible en français courant understands the reference to hands as a reference to the work and says “strengthen me in my task.”

There is a question about whether this is a prayer, since in his other prayers Nehemiah always addressed God directly (1.5, 11; 4.4; 5.19; 6.14; 13.14, 22, 29, 31). However, this reading is supported by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project with a B rating. It is also possible to understand the Hebrew for the whole clause with the meaning, “But now it strengthens my hands.” The Septuagint and Vulgate translate “Now I strengthened my hands.” This would mean that the plot of the enemies actually served to make the position of Nehemiah stronger. This is a more faithful rendering of the Hebrew, it makes more sense in the context, and it should be followed by the translator. New Jerusalem Bible renders it “But my morale rose even higher,” and New English Bible translates “So I applied myself to it with greater energy.”

It is important to note how quotations are indicated in this verse. Revised Standard Version quotes the thoughts of Nehemiah’s enemies as he reports them and sets them off with quotation marks. Good News Translation, on the other hand, uses an indirect quotation to report their thoughts. However, Revised Standard Version does not use quotation marks to indicate the words of Nehemiah’s prayer to God, while Good News Translation does mark Nehemiah’s prayer with quotation marks to indicate that it is a direct quotation. For marking these quotations, translators should follow the conventions that have been adopted in writing their language.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .