is it peace (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.

In this verse, the Hebrew that is translated as “is it peace” or similar in English is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as o-genki (お元気), combining “doing well” (genki) with the respectful prefix o-. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also still alive (Japanese honorifics).

complete verse (2 Kings 9:31)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 9:31:

  • Kupsabiny: “And/But when Jehu entered through the gate, Jezebel asked, ‘So, you murderer, are you coming with/in peace? You are the one who killed your master as Zimri did.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “As soon as Jehu came in the gate, she asked, "Oh Zimri, murderer of your own master, have you come in peace?"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When Jehu entered the gateway/door of the palace, Jezebel said to him, ‘You (sing.) who is like Zimri the one-who-kills/the murderer of his master, is your (sing.) purpose to come here good?’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “While Jehu was entering the city gate, she called out to him, ‘You are like Zimri! You are a murderer! I think you are certainly not coming on a peaceful visit!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 2 Kings 9:31

Entered the gate; that is, “came through the gateway” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “passed through the gate of the city” (em>Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). For gate see the comments on 1 Kgs 17.10.

She said: In languages where masculine and feminine pronouns are not distinguished, it may be necessary to use the proper name “Jezebel” instead of the pronoun she. Instead of the verb said, many translations use a verb more appropriate to the context, such as “called out” (Good News Translation) or “shouted” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).

Is it peace…?: See verses 17, 18, 19 and 22. Since Jezebel apparently knew that Joram was dead, her question here is almost certainly to be understood as sarcasm.

You Zimri, murderer of your master is literally “you Zimri, murderer of his master.” This recalls the story of another military leader who, 45 years earlier, had killed his own master in an attempt to take power, but he ruled only eight days. See 1 Kgs 16.8-20 for the story of Zimri’s assassination of Elah and of his own eventual death. In some languages it will be impossible to translate these words literally since they would have absolutely no meaning. So translators may have to say something like “You are exactly like Zimri who murdered his master!” Then a footnote can be provided to give more details and cross references. Parole de Vie attempts to show that Jehu is like Zimri by translating all of Jezebel’s words as “Do you bring peace, new Zimri, assassin of his king?” La Bible du Semeur similarly reads “… new Zimri, assassin of your lord?” A possible model that does not use the question form here is “You are just like Zimri who murdered his master. I can’t believe you are coming in peace.” Another model is “You are just like that Zimri who killed his master. Surely your intentions are not peaceful.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .