formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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 formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(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 4:9 – 4:10

In Greek the use of the conditional sentence introduced by if is very effective. However, in some languages this would be nonsense since there is absolutely no doubt as to the fact that Peter has just been asked how the lame man was made to walk. Therefore, this type of expression must be changed into a declarative, for example, “we are evidently being questioned today about….” Though in Greek the form is conditional, there is obviously no real condition implied—it is only a rhetorical device.

In the Greek text the use of the passive makes possible the elimination of a direct reference to the agent. In other languages, however, an active form may require the agent, for example, “you are evidently questioning us today about….”

Questioned translates a Greek word (see 12.19; 17.11; 24.8; 28.18) which suggests a judicial hearing.

In the phrase the good deed done to the lame man there is no reference to the agent. This may need to be supplied because of the passive form and the semantically redundant expression deed done. One may use “the good which we did for the lame man” or even “how we helped the lame man.”

The passive expression in how he was made well may be shifted to an expression indicating change of state, for example, “how he became well.”

Some type of transitional element at the beginning of verse 10 (see then in Good News Translation) is very important. In some languages one may employ an expression such as “evidently” at the beginning of verse 9 and a corresponding “therefore” at the beginning of verse 10.

It should be noted that no reference has been made in the introduction to this section (vv. 5-7) of the presence of the man who has been healed. However, his presence is indicated in verse 10 and he is further mentioned in verse 14.

The instrumental relationship expressed by the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth may need to be expressed as a causative subject in some languages, for example, “the power of the name of Jesus Christ has caused this man to stand here before you completely well.” In certain instances a distinction must be made between the healing and the standing such as “the power of the name of Jesus Christ has healed this man and therefore he stands before you.”

As has been noted in other contexts, the use of name as a substitute for the personality, or as a symbol of the personality, is not understood in some languages, and therefore the more satisfactory equivalent may be simply “the power of Jesus Christ.”

The last clause whom you crucified and God raised from death must in many languages be expressed as a separate sentence with an emphatic identification of the subject, for example, “This is the one you crucified but whom God raised from death.” In these two expressions the contrastive features may require some such conjunction as “but.”

When there is no specific term for crucify, it may be important to employ some type of descriptive equivalent which will indicate both the execution and the means by which it was done, for example, “killed him by nailing him to a cross” or “put him on a cross and in this way killed him.”

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 4:10

4:10a

then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: The word then connects 4:10 to the “if” in 4:9. If you did not use “if” there, you may want to introduce 4:10 with “therefore” to indicate the connection to 4:9. See the first two examples at 4:9a–b.

let this be known: The Greek phrase here is an indirect command. But some languages cannot use an indirect command here and must translate it as a direct command. For example:

know this (New International Version)

this: The word this refers to what Peter was about to say.

all of you and to all the people of Israel: The members of the Jewish Council were also people of Israel, so you may need to add “other” before people. For example:

you and all the ⌊other⌋ people of Israel

4:10b–d_

It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth…that this man stands before you healed: In the Greek and in the Berean Standard Bible the phrase by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth is emphasized by being first in the sentence. In some languages it is more natural to have the by phrase after the main clause. For example:

This man stands before you healed by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth

4:10b

by the name of: The phrase by the name of means “by the authority of.” Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

through the power of the name of (Good News Translation)
-or-
because of the power of (God’s Word)

Christ: The word Christ is used here as a title. It is not one of Jesus’ names. The Jews used this title to refer to the special person whom God had appointed and promised to send as king and savior. See how you translated this term in 2:31.

of Nazareth: Peter identified Jesus by naming his hometown, Nazareth. He was born in Bethlehem but grew up in Nazareth and still lived there when he began his ministry. Here is another way to translate this phrase:

from Nazareth (New Century Version)

4:10c_

whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead: The Berean Standard Bible adds the word but, because the second whom also refers to Jesus. In some languages the word “and” would be more natural. For example:

whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead

These two clauses tell the reader more about Jesus. They do not separate Jesus from other men named Jesus. For the correct meaning in some languages, translators must avoid the word whom. For example:

You crucified Jesus Christ of Nazareth and/but God raised him from the dead. It is in name of Jesus that this man stands…

whom you crucified: Roman soldiers had crucified Jesus, but Peter blamed the Jewish leaders of killing him, because they demanded that Pilate have him killed. They were responsible for Jesus being killed.

crucified: The word crucified refers to killing someone by nailing or tying him to a cross made of wood, then setting the cross upright and waiting until the person died. This was a Roman way to cause criminals to die a slow and painful death. Here are some other ways to translate this word:

killed/executed on a cross
-or-
nailed/tied to a cross ⌊to kill him⌋

killed by nailing to a plank/wood of death
-or-
killed on crossed beam(s) of death

whom God raised from the dead: The phrase from the dead indicates that Jesus was among the dead people but then God raised him and caused him to be alive again.

God: This word refers here to the eternal spirit who created everything. See how you translated this word in 1:3.

4:10d

that this man stands before you healed: The phrase this man stands before you indicates that the man was standing with Peter and John in front of the Sanhedrin. It describes the man as standing there. Then Peter indicates that he is healed. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

this man standing before you; he is well/healthy
-or-
this man who stands before you was/is healed

healed: The Greek adjective that the Berean Standard Bible translates as healed indicates that the man was completely healthy and well. Here are some other ways to translate this word:

well (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
with a healthy body (God’s Word)

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