hand (of God) (Japanese honorifics)

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) is used here in mi-te (御手) or “hand (of God).”

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also hand of the LORD.

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 5:15

The commandment is given emphasis by the reminder that the Israelites had been slaves in Egypt, where they got no day of rest. The sabbath commemorates freedom from forced labor; they are now not forced to work, but commanded to rest. The first part of the verse may be alternatively translated as “This day of rest will remind you that you did hard labor in Egypt, and that I, Yahweh, the God you worship….”

Brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm: see 4.34. The Good News Translation model “rescued you by my great power and strength” will be helpful for many translators. However, “used my great power and strength to rescue you” is also possible.

Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day will sound unnatural in some languages. Another model is “That is why I, Yahweh, command you to observe the sabbath [or, special day of rest].”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .