complete verse (Exodus 9:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 9:17:

  • Kupsabiny: “So you are indeed still fighting back not wanting to release my people?” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But you, up to now even being proud have not allowed my people to go.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But you (sing.) still boast to my people, and you (sing.) have- not -allowed them to-go.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “But you prevent my people still and so haven’t allowed them to go.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “And you still be with pride, you not my own (people) yet let go [that] they might go.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “You are still acting proudly and refusing to let my people go.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

1st person pronoun referring to God (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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Exod 9:17

You refers only to the Pharaoh. Still carries the idea of “always,” or “continually.” Exalting yourself translates a verb that sometimes means “to lift up,” but its exact meaning here is not clear. It is followed by the prepositional phrase against my people, or “with my people” (Jerusalem Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), so it may be understood to mean “obstruct my people” (New English Bible), “thwart my people” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or even “tyrannizing my people” (Durham). My people, of course, refers to Yahweh’s people, the Israelites. Since the form of the verb is reflexive, suggesting lifting oneself up, it probably means “being arrogant,” “behaving haughtily,” or “acting in a proud [or, insolent] manner.”

And will not let them go translates just two words in the Hebrew that literally mean “to not send them out.” This may be understood as “in order not to send them out,” explaining the purpose of the king’s arrogance. But it is better understood as “by not sending them out,” explaining the reason for, or the evidence of, the king’s continued arrogance. Contemporary English Version combines the two clauses: “You are still determined not to let the LORD’s people go.” But this loses some of the focus on the king’s arrogant attitude. It is possible to say “You are acting arrogantly toward my people in that you still refuse to let them go.” and even this is possible: “You still refuse to let my people go? Such arrogance!” Since the exact relation between the two clauses is not clear, both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation simply use the connective and (so also New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, and others).

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 .