The term that is transliterated as “Canaan” in English means “father of honor,” “father of majesty,” “father of praise,” or “my father is majesty.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
It is translated in American Sign Language with a sign loosely referencing the act of hiding/covering one’s face in shame. The association of “shame” with the name “Canaan” comes from Genesis 9, specifically verse 9:25. This sign was adapted from a similar sign in Kenyan Sign Language (see here ). (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Canaan” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Canaan in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)
The Hebrew, Ge’ez, and Greek that is translated as “inherit land” in various forms in English is translated in Kwere as “take land to be their own” or similar in these verses when Israel or a part of Israel “inherits” land from God. In Kwere, uhazi or “inheritance,” as in possessions etc. can only be received upon someone’s death. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Psalm 105:11:
Chichewa Contempary Chichewa translation, 2002/2016:
“‘I will give to you the land of Canaan
as a portion of your inheritance.’” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Newari:
“"I will give you the land of Canaan,
it will be your inheritance."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon:
“For he said,
‘I will-give you (sing.) the land of Canaan as your inheritance.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Laarim:
“He says that, ‘I will give you (plur.) the land of Canaan
to be the land that you will inherit.’” (Source: Laarim Back Translation)
Nyakyusa-Ngonde (back-translation into Swahili):
“Alisema, ‘Nitawapa nchi ya katika Kanani,
kuwa urithi wenu.’” (Source: Nyakyusa Back Translation)
English:
“What he said was, ‘I will give you the Canaan region;
it will belong to you and your descendants forever.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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 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.
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 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).
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.
In the Hebrew text verses 9-11 follow verse 8, “He is mindful of…,” without a break (see Revised Standard Version); the subject discussed throughout is the agreement made with Abraham and confirmed in turn with Isaac and Jacob (see similar language in 89.3 of the covenant with David). Good News Translation has started a new sentence in verse 9, supplying “He will keep.”
In verse 10 the lines are synonymous, Jacob in line a and Israel in line b, both referring to the patriarch (see also verse 23). For Yahweh’s promise to Abraham see Genesis 12.7; 17.8; to Isaac, Genesis 26.3-4; to Jacob, Genesis 28.13-14. The verb confirmed translates “made stand”; New Jerusalem Bible has “he established.” Most translations in English use the verb “to confirm.”
In verse 10 Good News Translation has “covenant” in line a to represent statute and covenant in lines a and b of the Hebrew text, since they both refer to the same agreement Yahweh made with Jacob. But if a more formal translation is preferred, the following can be said (following Good News Translation style):
• With a law Yahweh confirmed to Jacob
the promise of a covenant that will last forever.
In verse 11 the pronoun you in line a is singular in the Masoretic text; in line byour is plural. The Qumran manuscript has the plural form in both lines. In any case the promise was made to Jacob and to his descendants (see Gen 28.13; 35.12). But it could be that the Masoretic text singular “you” (in line a) and plural “your” (in line b) indicates that in verse 10 Jacob is the patriarch, and Israel is the people of Israel. If this interpretation is adopted, the translation can be as follows:
• With a law the LORD confirmed his promise to Jacob,
and made an eternal covenant with the people of Israel.
In verse 11b “your own possession” translates “your share of the inheritance” (see 16.6 for the two Hebrew words, translated there as “lines” and “heritage”). In languages which distinguish formally between “you” singular and “you” plural, some confusion for the reader may be introduced by making the second “you” plural. If the translator wishes to indicate the plural in the second line, it may be better to say, for example, “it will be a possession for your (singular) descendants.”
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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