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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 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.
A mongrel people shall dwell in Ashdod: The word mongrel in English is commonly used of a dog of no particular breed. When applied to people, it suggests that they are “of mixed race” (Good News Translation), and has overtones of low social worth. This probably fits the intention of the Hebrew term whose exact meaning is not clear. Elsewhere it means a bastard or person born outside of a regular marriage (Deut 23.2). In later Jewish interpretation, it referred especially to someone born of an adulterous relationship or as the result of incest. Here the word is singular, and could refer to an individual of mixed race ruling over Ashdod (Driver). But most translators from the Septuagint onwards have taken it as collective, referring to a population of mixed race, possibly resulting from forced interbreeding with conquerors (Jerusalem Bible footnote). Contemporary English Version shows the hostile force of the sentence with “A mob of half-breeds will settle in Ashdod.”
I will make an end of the pride of Philistia: At this point the Hebrew changes from third person singular to first person. Many translators will find it helpful to follow the example of Good News Translation and identify the speaker: “The LORD says.” It is also possible to change the first person pronouns to third person, both here and in verse 7, as Contemporary English Version has done, and if necessary in verse 8 also. This sentence functions as a summary of the fall of all the Philistine towns, and makes it clear that it is the LORD who controls their destiny. The Hebrew word translated make an end of is literally “cut off” (New International Version), and some translators may be able to retain this metaphor. Other metaphors used in modern versions include “cut down” (Revised English Bible) and “uproot” (New English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh); but many versions use nonfigurative language, such as “humble” (Good News Translation) or “destroy” (New American Bible, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation). The pride of Philistia may refer to general Philistine “arrogance” (Jerusalem Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 2. Edition) or in particular to their pride in being an independent nation (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1. Edition). Probably a general term like “pride” is better than a particular one. Philistia stands for the Philistine people, and many translators will prefer to render it this way (compare Good News Translation).
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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