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 (mimi o katamukete)

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, mimi o katamukete (耳を傾けて) or “tilt ears” is used in combination with itadaku (いただく), a humble form of the benefactive morau (もらう). 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. )

Japanese benefactives (shitte)

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, shitte (知って) or “know” is used in combination with itadaku (いただく), a humble form of the benefactive morau (もらう). 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 Acts 21:4

Found translates a verb which means “to find by searching for” (see Jerusalem Bible, Barclay “sought out”; An American Translation* “looked up”), which suggests that Paul and his group knew there were some believers there, though they may not have known who they were when they first arrived.

Some believers is literally “the disciples,” but once again “disciples” is used in the sense of “those who believe.” Luke merely says that “we stayed there,” but the implication is that Paul and his group stayed with the believers in Tyre, and so the Good News Translation has translated this clause as stayed with them (see also An American Translation* and Phillips). A number of translators do as the Good News Translation and render “seven days” by a week (see 20.6).

Luke’s phrase “through the Spirit” is taken by the Good News Translation as a reference to the power given the believers by the Spirit, thus enabling them to understand the fate that awaited Paul in Jerusalem. Accordingly, the Good News Translation has translated this phrase by the power of the Spirit. This phrase may be rendered as “prompted by the Holy Spirit” or “guided by the Holy Spirit.” After the verb of speaking, it may be necessary to employ direct discourse—for example, “guided by the Holy Spirit they said to Paul, You should not go to Jerusalem.” In the present context not to go to Jerusalem means “not to go on to Jerusalem” (Jerusalem Bible, Revised Standard Version).

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Acts 21:4

21:4a

We sought out the disciples in Tyre: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sought out includes searching. Paul knew that some disciples lived in Tyre, but did not know where. So he looked for them. For example:

Searching for and finding the disciples there
-or-
We searched for and found disciples there

the disciples: The word the indicates that Paul knew that some disciples lived in Tyre. It does not refer to the first twelve disciples of Jesus. For example:

some disciples (Good News Translation)

disciples: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as disciples refers to learners who are in a special relationship with a teacher. The learner commits himself to his teacher in order to learn and live according to his teaching and example.

This is Luke’s usual term in Acts to describe Christians. See how you translated this word in 6:1 or 20:30.

21:4b

Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem: The phrase Through the Spirit indicates that the Holy Spirit told the disciples something that was about Paul. But the clause does not indicate exactly what the Spirit told them. For example:

The ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit spoke to them about Paul, and they urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem

Earlier, the Holy Spirit told Paul to go to Jerusalem (20:22). He also warned Paul that he would suffer and people would put him in prison (20:23). The Holy Spirit had not changed his mind and now did not want Paul to go to Jerusalem. Many scholars believe the following happened:

(a) The Holy Spirit revealed to some believers in Tyre that people would cause Paul to suffer and put him in prison in Jerusalem. This is similar to what is described in 20:23 and in 21:10–14.

(b) Hearing what the Holy Spirit said, the believers in Tyre, by their own thinking, urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem.

You may want to:

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

Earlier, the Holy Spirit told Paul to go to Jerusalem (20:22). He also warned Paul that people would make him suffer and put him in prison (20:23). The Holy Spirit also told the believers in Tyre the same thing. But when they heard that, they decided that Paul should not go there.

• Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:

They ⌊heard that Paul would suffer in Jerusalem⌋ from the ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit, and urged him/Paul not to go ⌊there⌋

they kept telling Paul: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as kept telling simply means “told.” The Greek verb probably indicates they told him more than once. For example:

they urged Paul (New International Version)

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