Honorary "rare" construct denoting God ("resurrect")

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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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) 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, yomigae-rare-ru (よみがえられる) or “resurrect” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Romans 6:4

In this verse Paul indicates that baptism is not merely a picture, but an actual event in which the believer shares in Christ’s death with him. By translating shared his death, the Good News Translation makes clear the meaning of Paul’s expression “unto the death.” By his use of the definite article “the” before death, Paul indicates that the reference is to Christ’s death (see Moffatt “in his death”; Jerusalem Bible “joined him in death”). To render this either as “into death” (Revised Standard Version) or as “and lay dead” (New English Bible) is to overlook an important aspect of what Paul is saying. He is stating that by baptism the believer somehow shares both in Christ’s burial and in his death.

By our baptism may be appropriately expressed in most languages as “when we were baptized.” If this must be made an active expression, it is usually possible to employ some indefinite subject—for example, “when people baptized us.” In some languages baptism may be expressed more specifically as means, “by our being baptized.”

The metaphor we were buried with him may be translated as a simile, “we were, as it were, buried with him” or “we were seemingly buried alongside of him.”

The concept of shared his death may be difficult to express, but it is usually possible to employ some such phrase as “we also died” or “we died together with him.” In some languages it is necessary to place death before burial—for example, “when we were baptized we died, as it were, together with him, and we were buried together with him.”

The phrase “the glory of the Father,” when used instrumentally, is merely a circumlocution for speaking of God’s great power: by the glorious power of the Father (Phillips “by that splendid revelation of the Father’s power”).

It is possible to make the Father the subject of the expression raised from death and therefore translate as “just as the Father raised Christ from death” or “just as the Father caused Christ to live again.” By the glorious power may be translated in some languages as “by his wonderful strength” or “by means of his power which is so glorious.”

In some languages there is a special problem involved in translating the Father since “Father” may not occur without some indication of relationship or possession. One cannot simply say “with the Father” but must always have “his Father,” “our Father,” or some such designation of the Father as being related to someone else. In this type of context the most appropriate form is normally “our Father” (first person plural inclusive), since Paul would assume that the Christians to whom he is addressing the letter acknowledge God as a common Father.

“To walk in newness of life” is simply a Jewish way of saying “to live a new life”; it is not necessary to carry over the metaphor of walking as some have done (see New English Bible “so also we might set our feet upon the new path of life”).

In many languages one does not live a new life but rather “lives in a new way.” However, since this is the direct purpose of the Christian’s being buried with Christ and sharing in his death, it may be important to invert the last two clauses of verse 4, or even to separate them completely—for example, “in order that we might live in an entirely new way, just as the Father raised Christ from death by his wonderful power” or “in order that we might live in a new manner. This is similar to what happened to Christ whom God caused to live again by means of his wonderful power.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 6:4

6:4a

We were therefore buried with Him: It is natural in English to put the word therefore in the middle of the clause. In many languages it is more natural to put it at the beginning of the clause. For example:

Therefore, we were buried with him

We were…buried with Him: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause here. For example:

⌊God⌋ buried us with him

were…buried: Baptism is a symbol for burial. In some languages a simile must be used. For example:

were ⌊like someone who had been⌋ buried

through baptism into death: The word through indicates that baptism is the way that believers are “buried with him.” Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

by baptism into death (English Standard Version)
-or-
by means of our being baptized…it was like we were the ones who died
-or-
we have become ⌊as if⌋ dead ⌊and buried⌋ with him when we were baptized
-or-
and it is ⌊as if⌋ that baptism caused us to die

into death: Here this phrase refers to being dead to the old way of life on this earth, characterized by sin. It contrasts to “walk in newness of life” (6:4d). See the examples above.

6:4b,d (reordered)

This author has reordered this verse to put the purpose clause immediately after the words that introduce it.

in order that: This phrase introduces a purpose. We, as believers, are like dead people in regard to a life of sin on this earth, so we are to live a new kind of life as followers of Jesus. For example:

so that (New Jerusalem Bible)

we…may walk in newness of life: The word walk is a metaphor for how someone behaves over a period of time. Here it refers to living according to the new life that God gives to believers. Some languages must translate the meaning without the metaphor. For example:

we might live according to the new life
-or-
we also may live new lives (New Living Translation (2004))

may: Here this word helps to indicate that walking in this way is a purpose of being buried through baptism into death (6:4a). It suggests that it would be good if we walked in newness of life. Here are other ways to translate this word:

might (English Standard Version)
-or-
would
-or-

to walk in newness of life

newness of life: This phrase refers to a new way of life. Here it refers to the new way of life that the Holy Spirit gives to believers and is characterized by righteousness (8:9–11). Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

a new life (New International Version)
-or-
a new kind of life (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
a new way-of-life

The Greek does not have the word “the” here, but Paul only had one kind of new life in mind: the new life as a believer. Your translation should indicate that Paul had only one kind of new life in mind.

too: Here this word compares “we might walk in newness of life” with “Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father.” In the reordered sentence, this meaning is not needed here. The phrase “just as” in 6:4c indicates that meaning.

6:4c

just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father: The words just as indicate that Paul compared “walking in newness of life” to Jesus being raised from the dead through the glory of the Father.

Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father: This clause is passive. It is implied that God raised Jesus by means of his glory. Some languages must use an active clause here. For example:

⌊God⌋ the Father raised Christ from the dead by his glory

raised from the dead: This phrase refers to God making Jesus alive again after he died and was put in the tomb. See how you translated this phrase in 4:24.

the glory of the Father: The word glory refers literally to a very bright light. In this context it implies power that is glorious, majestic, or great in some way. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

the Father’s glorious power (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
the wonderful power of the Father (New Century Version)

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Commentaire sur la traduction de la lettre aux Romains 6.4

Par le baptême, en sa mort, nous avons donc été ensevelis avec lui : en grec, la phrase commence autrement, litt. « Nous avons donc été ensevelis avec lui à travers le baptême dans/à la mort ». Paul démontre que pour lui, le baptême n’est pas une simple image, mais qu’il représente un événement réel. Il dit que par le baptême, le croyant participe à la mort et à l’ensevelissement du Christ. Certains croient que la mention du mot ensevelir renvoie au baptême.

Par le baptême : dans certaines langues, on pourrait rendre ceci par une proposition, « Quand nous avons été baptisés » ou « Parce que nous avons été baptisés », avec un nous inclusif, voir Rom 6.3.

en sa mort : en grec, le mot mort est précédé par l’article défini, ce qui signifie que l’apôtre renvoie à la mort du Christ, d’où sa mort (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur, Osty-Trinquet). L’idée d’être « associés à sa mort » (Bible en français courant) ou en « relation avec sa mort » (La Bible du Semeur) sera difficile à exprimer dans certaines langues. On pourrait peut-être dire « nous sommes également morts » ou « nous sommes morts avec lui ».

nous avons été donc ensevelis avec lui : en grec, cette proposition est en tête de phrase, avant la mention « dans la mort ». Toutefois, il sera normal dans plusieurs langues de placer, comme dans la Traduction œcuménique de la Bible et la Bible en français courant, la mention de la mort avant celle de l’ensevelissement, par exemple « Quand nous avons été baptisés, nous sommes en quelque sorte morts avec lui et avons été ensevelis avec lui » ou, à l’actif, « …et on nous a (pour ainsi dire) ensevelis avec lui ». Il est mieux de garder le verbe « enterrer » ou ensevelir, au lieu d’évoquer des images plus concrètes comme la Bible en français courant, « nous avons été mis au tombeau avec lui ». Certaines versions essayent de montrer qu’il s’agit d’un langage figuré : « nous avons été en quelque sorte ensevelis avec lui ».

afin que, comme Christ est ressuscité des morts : la conjonction ἵνα hina introduit un but ou conséquence de cet enterrement avec Christ. Elle introduit une comparaison, qui, dans certaines langues, aura deux parties, « de la manière que… de cette même manière », ou « comme… c’est ainsi que… » Pour ressuscité des morts, voir Rom 4.24. Les traducteurs devraient rester cohérents dans l’utilisation des termes clés. Le grec a des morts, se référant à des personnes qui sont mortes, mais dans beaucoup de langues, on devra parler de la mort d’une manière abstraite. Voir Parole de Vie.

par la gloire du Père est une façon d’évoquer le rôle de la puissance du Père, d’où « par la puissance glorieuse du Père » (Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur). On pourrait aussi voir la gloire comme un attribut de Dieu : « par la puissance du Père, qui est si glorieuse ». Il est possible de tourner le passif à l’actif en faisant du Père le sujet de la proposition, par exemple « de même que le Père a ramené le Christ d’entre les morts » ou « de même que le Père a fait que le Christ vive de nouveau ». Voir aussi « Mais la puissance glorieuse du Père a réveillé le Christ de la mort » (Parole de Vie).

Le mot Père renvoie à Dieu, le Père de Jésus-Christ, mais celui-ci est aussi « notre père », dans un sens inclusif. Paul est conscient du fait que les chrétiens auxquels il s’adresse reconnaissent, tout comme lui, que Dieu est leur Père. Voir Rom 1.3.

nous menions nous aussi une vie nouvelle est litt. « comme aussi nous en nouveauté de vie nous marchons ». La Traduction œcuménique de la Bible omet les conjonctions mais il semble important de rendre explicite les liens entre les propositions ici. « marcher en nouveauté de vie » est une façon sémitique de dire « vivre une vie nouvelle ». En fait, dans beaucoup de langues, une traduction littérale sera très bien comprise, par exemple, « afin que nous aussi, nous puissions marcher dans la vie nouvelle » ou « marcher dans la nouveauté de vie », c’est-à-dire « vivre d’une nouvelle façon ». Le verbe est au subjonctif en grec, mais les traducteurs devront utiliser des formes verbales qui conviennent dans leur langue.

Source: Margot, Jean-Claude & Zogbo, Lynell. La lettre aux Romains – Manuel de traduction – Commentaire linguistique et exégétique de la Bible. Alliance biblique universelle, 2021.