complete verse (Numbers 4:32)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 4:32:

  • Kupsabiny: “the posts of the courtyard and the things those posts stand on, the ropes and pegs and everything which that Tent is made of. Assign to each person what he shall carry.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “the posts all around the courtyard and their bases, tent pegs, ropes and the various kinds of things used in the work, needed for the Holy Tent they will carry. Then, taking the name of each one, decide which job each one has to do and which things each one has to carry.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They will- also -be-the-one to carry the posts which the curtain is-being-connected-upon of the surrounding courtyard of the Tent. And they will- also -be-the-one to carry its bases, the pegs, and the ropes. They will-do all the work/doings/duties related with these things. You (plur.) and Aaron will-tell each one of them what to carry.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “They must also carry the posts for the curtains that form the walls of the courtyard and the bases for the posts, the tent pegs, and the ropes to fasten the curtains. Tell each man what things he must carry.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (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 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. )

Translation commentary on Numbers 4:31 - 4:32

And this is what they are charged to carry, as the whole of their service in the tent of meeting: This sentence introduces what Tabernacle objects the Merarites had to carry. What they are charged renders the Hebrew word mishmeret, which is translated “charge” in 3.25 (see the comments there). It indicates that the Merarites were responsible to carry their assigned objects regularly, whenever the Tent of Meeting was moved. To carry renders the Hebrew word massaʾ again (see verse 15). For the Hebrew word rendered service, see the comments on verse 4. As was the case in verse 24, this sentence in Hebrew seems to refer to more submissive work than that mentioned at the end of verse 15, which suggests that the tasks of the Merarites were less central and perhaps more subordinate than those of the Kohathites. (Good News Translation and many other translations do not reflect this.) The text itself also seems to imply that the Merarites’ work was more subordinate than that of the Gershonites since they are the last Levite division listed with the least amount of description given to their assigned tasks.

The frames of the tabernacle, with its bars, pillars, and bases: See the comments on 3.36.

The pillars of the court round about with their bases, pegs, and cords: See the comments on 3.37.

With all their equipment and all their accessories renders two Hebrew phrases that are almost identical to those at the end of 3.36 (see the comments there), but there Revised Standard Version translates “and all their accessories; all the service pertaining to these.” The Hebrew words for equipment and accessories are the same ones rendered “accessories” and “service” respectively in 3.36. Here Good News Translation has “with all the fittings used in setting them up,” but in 3.36 it has “and all its fittings. They were responsible for all the service connected with these items.” But since these two phrases have the same Hebrew nouns here and in 3.36, there is no need for such variation in translation at this point. Variation should not appear in a translation where two or more passages of the biblical text are exactly the same. Variation can then be used to more accurately reflect where differences actually occur in the original Hebrew. New International Version reflects better the close similarity between these two passages in Hebrew by saying “all its equipment, and everything related to their use” in 3.36 and “all their equipment and everything related to their use” here.

And you shall assign by name the objects which they are required to carry: As in 4.27, the Hebrew verb rendered you shall assign is plural (so also New Afrikaans Version, Luther, Buber). The plural presumably refers to the priests, that is, Aaron and his sons (see the comments on 4.27). For they are required, which renders the Hebrew word mishmeret, see the comments on 3.25. To carry translates the Hebrew word massaʾ again. Bible en français courant provides a good model for this sentence, saying “The priests will make up the lists of objects which everyone will be personally charged to carry.”

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .