complete verse (Ezekiel 3:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 3:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “The power of God came to me while I was there and (he) said to me, ‘Get up and go down to the plain so I can come and speak to you there.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I was-empowered by the LORD and he said to me, ‘You (sing.) go right-away to the valley, for there I have something-to-say to you (sing.).’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “I felt Yahweh take control of me, and he said to me, ‘Get up and go outfrom the city down to the plain/valley, and there I will speak to you.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

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.

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 Ezekiel 3:22

And the hand of the LORD was there upon me, that is, the power of Yahweh took control of Ezekiel. See the comments on 1.3. Hand is a figurative expression for “power,” and the LORD renders God’s name “Yahweh.” It is not clear where there is. It may refer to the place where Ezekiel was living, that is, Tel-abib. Like Revised Standard Version, many versions keep this adverb (so New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), but it is also acceptable to omit it (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). Contemporary English Version renders this clause as “The LORD took control of me,” and Parole de Vie has “The LORD seized me [or, took control of me] with power.” Another possible model is “I felt the powerful presence of the LORD there” (similarly Good News Translation).

And he said to me: Yahweh begins to speak to Ezekiel again.

Arise, go forth into the plain: The imperative verb Arise implies that Ezekiel was sitting or lying down (perhaps in his house) and God told him to “Get up” (Good News Translation) or “Stand up!” (Contemporary English Version). Then he told him to go forth into the plain. The plain refers to the valley through which the Euphrates River flows in present-day Iraq. Good News Translation says “the valley,” but if the word “valley” means a narrow ravine with steep sides in a language, it would be misleading. The Hebrew word for plain refers to a wide, flat valley with mountains in the distance on either side. Translators may use either “plain” or “valley,” depending on what the different words mean in a language.

And there I will speak with you may be rendered “When you get there, I will tell you what to do.”

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 .