complete verse (Exodus 12:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 12:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “Obey/follow these things/instructions to become a law that goes up to grandchildren/descendants.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Obey these laws as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “This regulation/[lit. that-which-is-to-be-followed] you (plur.) and your (plur.) descendants are-to-obey forever/[lit. until whenever].” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “‘You (pl.) will follow this law each and every year, and later your children and descendants will be following like this also.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “This which I put down thus, you and descendants your all, you shall remember it until forever.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “You and your descendants must celebrate this festival forever.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

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. )

Translation commentary on Exod 12:24

You shall observe means to watch or guard (see verse 17). The You is plural. This rite uses the word davar, meaning “word” or “event.” So Good News Translation has “You must obey these rules.” (Durham has “this command,” and New International Version “these instructions.”) As an ordinance occurs in verse 14 and means “a statute” (Revised English Bible) or “an institution” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). For you and your sons (surprisingly, the you is singular) refers to all the Israelites and their “children.” Grammatically for ever goes with observe rather than ordinance (but see New Revised Standard Version, “a perpetual ordinance”) and extends the meaning of your sons to “your descendants” (New American Bible). It is also possible to express this verse as “You and your children must continue to celebrate this Passover festival each year forever.”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .