complete verse (Ezekiel 2:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 2:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “(It/he) said to me, ‘Listen, Ezekiel, get up and stand so I can speak to you.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The voice said to me, ‘Man, stand-up for I have something-to-say to you (sing.).’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “He said to me, ‘You human, stand up while I speak to you.’” (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”.

Honorary "are" construct denoting God (“say”)

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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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 2:1

And he said to me: God is probably the speaker here, although it could be an angel (see the comments on 1.28). This is the first time God addresses Ezekiel directly. But it is possible to understand the Hebrew of this clause as “And it [the voice] said to me” (similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Good News Translation takes this approach and does not identify the speaker until 3.1. Translators may say “The one speaking said to me” (similarly Parole de Vie). However, it will be better for most languages to identify the speaker at this point.

For Son of man, International Children’s Bible says “Human being.”

Stand upon your feet: God tells Ezekiel to “stand up” (Good News Translation). At this point Ezekiel was lying prostrate on the ground (see 1.28). In some languages it will be more natural to begin God’s words with “Stand up, you mere human being.”

And I will speak with you: The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered and connects this clause with the previous one. It may be omitted here if that is more natural in a language (so Good News Translation). I will speak with you is not simply a future action, but shows God’s intention, so it may be rendered “I want to talk to you” (Good News Translation). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh renders this clause and the previous one as “O mortal, stand up on your feet that I may speak to you,” which is a good model. Parole de Vie also expresses these clauses well with “Stand up, you mere human! I’m going to talk to you.”

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

3rd person pronoun with high register (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 third person singular and plural pronoun (“he,” “she,” “it” and their various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. While it’s not uncommon to avoid pronouns altogether in Japanese, there are is a range of third person pronouns that can be used.

In these verses a number of them are used that pay particularly much respect to the referred person (or, in fact, God, as in Exodus 15:2), including kono kata (この方), sono kata (その方), and ano kata (あの方), meaning “this person,” “that person,” and “that person over there.” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also third person pronoun with exalted register.