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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 of appropriate suffix title referred to as keishō (敬称) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017 by either using -san or –sama with the latter being the more formal title. In most of these verses, the Hebrew that is translated as “daughter” in English is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as musume-san (娘さん), combining the word for “daughter” (musume) and the suffix title –san.
In three verses (Job 1:18, Mark 5:35, Luke 8:49), o-jyō-san (お嬢さん) is used. O-jyō-san has a slight higher register than musume-san and tends to also be used for young and unmarried girls.
Following are a number of back-translations of Ruth 3:11-13:
Noongar: “Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do everything you want, because all my people of this place, they know you are a good woman. But now, truly, I am your right-way man, but one man sits closer than me. Sleep in this place tonight and tomorrow, if he will stand to become your right-way man, yes, good, but if he won’t stand to become your right-way man, in the name of God, I will do this thing. Sleep here until tomorrow.’” (Source: Bardip Ruth-Ang 2020)
Eastern Bru: “So now, young woman, don’t be afraid. Surely I will do what you have asked. Every one in my town knows that you are a good person. And you say truly that I am of your clan and a close relative. But there is a person who is of your clan and closer than I. Now you wait this night. In the morning the person who is closer than I can take away your misfortune. If he wants to he can do it. It’s up to him. But if he does not want to take away your misfortune, surely I myself will become your husband. I swear before God that I will do that. Now you go back to sleep this night and wait until morning.’” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Therefore do- not -worry day [Note: this is a very common nickname], for I will-do all what you(sg) have-asked-for. Because all my fellow-countrymen knew that you(sg) are a good/noble woman. It is true that I am your(sg) close relative, who has a responsibility to take-care-of you(sg), but there-is still a man who is more closely related to you(sg) than I am. You(sg) stay/remain here for the whole night, and tomorrow morning let us(incl) see if he will-accept his responsibility on you(sg). If he agrees, then good; but if in-fact/actually not (willing), I swear to the living LORD that I will-accept my responsibility to you(sg). Okay, you(sg) just sleep here until morning.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Now, young lady, I will do everything you ask. Don’t worry that people in this town might think I am doing wrong by marrying you because you are a woman from Moab. All the people in this town know that you are an honorable woman. But there is one problem. Although it is true that I am a close relative of your mother-in-law’s dead husband, there is another man who is a closer relative than I am, and therefore he should be the one to marry you and take care of you. You stay here for the rest of this night. Tomorrow morning I will tell this man about you. If he says that he will marry you and take care of you, fine, we will let him do that. But if he is not willing to do that, I solemnly promise that as surely as Yahweh lives, I will marry you and take care of you. So lie/sleep here until it is morning.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Good News Translation shows the order of the sentences of the source text. The Hebrew order is: (1) “don’t be afraid”; (2) “I will do everything you ask”; (3) “all people know that you are a good woman.” However, the object of Ruth’s fear is not the possibility of Boaz’s refusing help to her, but the possibility that the people of the town will oppose her because she is of Moabite origin. See Gerleman, op. cit., ad loc.: “Sie soll auch keine Angst haben, daß man ‘im Tor’ wegen ihrer moabitischen Herkunft Einwände erheben wird.” A change in the order of clauses seems essential in order to make the relation more explicit than in Good News Translation. One may translate, for example: “Dear woman, do not be afraid, for everyone in town knows that you are a good woman. I will do….”
Everyone in town renders a Hebrew expression which is literally “the whole gate of my people.” The gate is mentioned here as the center of the social life of the community. For its importance, see the comments on 4.1 and compare a parallel expression in 4.10. In this type of context “gate” refers to the city, and “the whole gate” is a reference to the whole city in the sense of “all the people of the city” or “all of the citizens.” This expression occurs only here in the Old Testament, but its meaning is quite certain. There seems no reason to think that this is a specific reference to some council of the people, as is suggested by the Smith-Goodspeed translation. It is rare that one can employ a term for “gate” in reference to a city, particularly since in most parts of the world cities no longer have gates. However, in certain ancient translations a term for gate has been retained with certain interesting possibilities of interpretation. A good example of this is the translation of the Vulgate: omnis populus qui habitat intra portas urbis meae. It is not completely clear how the Greek translation has to be evaluated. Septuagint has pasa phulē laou mou, in which phulē (“race, tribe”) could be a defective writing of pulē (“gate”). This is, for example, Gerleman’s interpretation. On the other hand, phulē may have the meaning of “a body of men united by local habitation” (see Liddell-Scott, s.v.), so that the Greek could be translated as “the whole body of my people” (i.e., “townspeople”). Is pulē/phulē an intentional pun of the Greek translator? Compare, however, the Syriac reading: “the whole tribe of our people.”
In Hebrew the adjective fine implies ability, efficiency, and moral worth. New English Bible emphasizes the first aspect of meaning by translating “a capable woman,” but most other translations prefer to indicate the factor of moral worth or value; for example, “a worthy woman,” “a good woman,” or a fine woman. The Targum’s qualification tsaddiqtaʾ presupposes a meaning “pious” in view of the following addition: “and you have the power to bear the yoke of the divine commandments.”
Quoted with permission from de Waard, Jan and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Ruth. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1978, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
And now: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And now introduces a new idea or subject. Here Boaz will make a promise to Ruth. The Berean Standard Bible is not using the English word now as a time word. Some translations leave this Hebrew word implicit. Introduce the next idea in a way that is natural in your language.
do not be afraid: This clause indicates that Boaz did not want Ruth to fear or worry. The next clause suggests that she might be afraid of what Boaz would do after her request.
my daughter: Boaz again addressed Ruth in a kind and polite way. See how you translated this phrase in 2:8a and 3:10a.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
do not fear (English Standard Version) -or-
don’t worry (NET Bible)
3:11b
I will do for you whatever you request: This sentence gives the reason why Ruth did not need to be afraid. It showed that Boaz agreed to do what Ruth asked. By saying whatever you request, Boaz showed that he realized that he had to do more than marry Ruth. He showed that he was willing to perform all the duties of a kinsman-redeemer.
Here are some other ways to translate this sentence:
Everything you propose, I will do for you (TLV) -or-
I will do whatever you say. (God’s Word) -or-
I intend to do for you everything you propose (NET Bible)
3:11c
since all my fellow townspeople know that you are a woman of noble character: This statement gives the reason that Boaz was willing to do all that Ruth asked. Boaz was glad to marry Ruth because everyone knew that she had excellent character.
Here are some other ways to translate this statement:
for everyone in the village knows that you are a worthy woman (NET Bible) -or-
because all the people in our town know you are a good woman (New Century Version)
all my fellow townspeople: This phrase is a general statement. It may not be true that every single person in the town knew about Ruth. Boaz meant that many people in the town of Bethlehem knew Ruth’s excellent character and faithfulness to Naomi, and they respected her.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
everyone in town (Contemporary English Version) -or-
the whole town (Revised English Bible)
a woman of noble character: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as noble character indicates here that Ruth was a woman who had a good, moral character and perhaps also had good abilities. It suggests that everyone in town respected her. Think about how your language would describe a woman like that. You might want to use a figure of speech.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
a very good woman (English Easy-to-Read Version) -or-
what a fine woman you are (Revised English Bible) -or-
a worthy woman (NET Bible) -or-
You are respected by everyone in town. (Contemporary English Version)
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