drink

In Telugu different verbs for humans drinking (tāgu / తాగు) and animals drinking (cēḍu / చేడు) are required.

complete verse (Revelation 22:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 22:17:

  • Uma: “The Holy Spirit and the woman who is bridegroomed by the Lamb said: ‘Come! (pl.)’ Every person who hears this word must say: ‘Come! (pl.)’ [Note: the Greek in singular, so some exegetes think that this command is directed at Jesus, asking him to please come back to earth, as in 22:20. Others think that despite the singular, these first two commands are directed at unsaved people, as is the next command. Uma couldn’t be ambiguous, so we chose the latter view.] Whoever is thirsty, come (pl.)! Whoever wants to, come (pl.) drink water that gives life, you do not need to buy it.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The Spirit of God answered and the bride, that means the people belonging to Isa, they said, ‘Come.’ Whoever hears these words should also say, ‘Come.’ Come here whoever is thirsty. Drink the water that gives life, that is given free to whoever wants to drink it.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The Holy Spirit and the one whom the young sheep married, they call out saying, ‘Believe.’ And the ones who hear this, they also must call out saying, ‘Believe.’ Any of you who are thirsty, receive with no payment the water which gives eternal life.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Come (2nd pers. sg),’ says the Spirit of God and his people who are compared to the one whom the Sheep will marry. ‘Yes, come (2nd pers. sg),’ the one who hears should also say. Whoever is thirsty, he should come so that he can drink-some-of the free water which gives life.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The Espiritu Santo and the people of God, those who will as-it-were be married by the one referred to as Young Sheep, they say, ‘Come now!’ And all who will hear these things, it’s necessary that they also say, ‘Come now!’ Approach here whoever is parched. Those who want to, just get some of this water which gives life. It doesn’t have to be paid for.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The holy Spirit with the wife of the Lamb, each say: ‘Come.’ Concerning all who hear this word here, also they can say ‘Come.’ Concerning the person who is thirsty, he should come and drink the water which gives new life and there is no payment to get it.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Spirit (of God) (Japanese honorifics)

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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 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. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-tama (御霊) or “Spirit (of God)” in the referenced verses.

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

See also Holy Spirit

Japanese benefactives (kīte)

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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, kite (来て) or “come” 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 Revelation 22:17

The translator should consider the possibility of presenting this verse in poetic form, as a stanza of three or four lines (see Section F of the introduction, “Translating the Revelation to John,” pages 6 and following).

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come”: the command, or request, is addressed to Christ, asking him to come at once to the world. Here the Spirit is speaking together with the Bride, the people of God (19.7). It may be that the Spirit is speaking through the prophet, but the text does not imply this. It may be necessary to indicate explicitly to whom they speak: “The Spirit and the Bride say to Jesus…” or “… say, ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’ ” (see verse 20). For Bride see 19.7. In this context another way of expressing this is “the wife of the Lamb.”

Let him who hears say: “and all those who hear this are also to say.” The assembled believers, as they hear this book being read to them (1.3 and comments), are to repeat the prayer of the Spirit and the Bride.

Him who is thirsty … him who desires: the plural form can be used, in order to avoid being exclusive: “All who are thirsty and who want water (or, want water to drink).”

Come … take the water of life without price: “Come … and drink the life-giving water, without having to pay for it” (see 21.6). This invitation is addressed to those who are thirsty and want water.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• The Spirit (or, God’s Spirit) and the Wife of the Lamb say to Jesus, “You [singular] must come.” Everyone who hears this must also say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty must come and accept the water that gives life.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 22:17

Paragraph 22:17

22:17a

The Spirit: This phrase refers to the Holy Spirit. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer to someone else. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain its meaning in your translation. For example:

The ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit

bride: This word symbolically refers to believers. They have been made ready to live with Jesus (19:7c–d). You may want to explain the meaning in a footnote. An example footnote is:

The word “bride” refers to all believers. They have been made ready to live with Jesus as a symbolic bride (19:7).

Come: This command in the Greek is singular. It may refer to:

(1) An invitation to anyone seeking God (22:17c). The command invites him/her to come and follow Jesus.

(2) An invitation to Jesus to return.

Translate this word so that it allows both interpretations in your translation. All fifteen English versions in Translator’s Workplace translate the literal meaning. They do not say who is invited to Come.

22:17b

Let the one who hears say, “Come!”: This clause commands anyone who accepts the message of Revelation to give the same invitation as in 22:17a.

the one: Here the words the one refer to any person, whether male or female.

22:17c

And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely: The Greek words are literally “the one thirsting, let him come, the one desiring, let him freely take the water of life.” It repeats the meaning to emphasize it. This is a poetic way to emphasize something. The one who is thirsty is the same person as the one called the one who desires. Coming is the same response as drinking the water of life.

The words of 22:17c are a metaphor. It invites people to believe in Jesus. Other ways to translate these words are:

Then let all who are thirsty come: all who want it may have the water of life, and have it free. (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Come, whoever is thirsty; accept the water of life as a gift, whoever wants it. (Good News Translation)
-or-
Whoever is thirsty, let him freely take/drink the water of life. Indeed, whoever desires ⌊to come⌋ , let him come.
-or-
Whoever is thirsty and desires ⌊to come⌋ , let him come and freely take/drink the water of life.

In some languages a translation of the literal meaning would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain the meaning in a footnote. An example footnote is:

This sentence invites people to believe in Jesus.

• Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:

Whoever is thirsty, let him come ⌊and believe⌋ ; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
-or-
Whoever desires ⌊life with Jesus⌋ , let him come ⌊and believe⌋ ; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

the water of life: This phrase indicates that the water is a source of eternal life. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

water that gives ⌊eternal⌋ life
-or-
life-giving water

See how you translated this phrase in 21:6 or 22:1.

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