The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “idol(s)” in English is translated in Central Subanen as ledawan or “images.” (Source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. )
In German, typically the term Götze is used. Originally this was used as a term of endearment for Gott (“God” — see here ), later for “icon” and “image, likeness.” Luther started to use it in the 16th century in the meaning of “false god, idol.”
Other terms that are used in German include Götzenbild(er) (“image[s] of idols”) or Bildnis (“image” — Protestant) / Kultbild (“cultish image” — Catholic) (used for instance in Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8). The latest revision of the Catholic Einheitsübersetzung (publ. 2016) also uses the neologism Nichtse (“nothings”) in 1 Chron. 16:26 and Psalm 96:5. (Source: Zetzsche)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 36:25:
Kupsabiny: “I will sprinkle clean water and cleanse you from those idols that you are worshipping.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “I will-sprinkle you with clean water so-that you will-become clean from all filthiness, and you no-longer will-worship little-gods.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “It will be as though I will sprinkle clean water on you, and then you will be clean. I will cause you to be cleansed from everything that has defiled you, and I will cause you to stop worshiping idols.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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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.
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
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).
This verse describes how the Israelites will be made clean from their sins.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you means God will wash them clean. The Hebrew verb for sprinkle means to pour or throw liquid from a bowl and is the usual word in the Bible for sprinkling blood on things or people to make them holy (see Exo 24.6; Lev 1.5, 11; 2 Chr 29.22). It would be misleading to render clean water as “holy water,” even though it is used to make things holy. This phrase may be rendered “pure water” (New International Reader’s Version, Revised English Bible, Christian Community Bible).
And you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses: The Hebrew word for uncleannesses refers to ritual impurity that prevents the people worshiping God properly, not the ordinary dirtiness that people might have on their hands or bodies. Revised English Bible renders this clause as “and you will be purified from everything that defiles you,” and Contemporary English Version has “I will wash away everything that makes you unclean.” Another possible model is “You will be cleansed from all the things that make you unfit to worship me.”
And from all your idols I will cleanse you: The reference to idols, that is, statues of false gods (see verse 18), also shows that God is talking about ritual uncleanness here. The Hebrew verb for cleanse means to make ritually clean in this context. Translators may render this clause as “and I will make you clean from all the idols that have made you not fit to worship me.” Good News Translation reverses the order of the last two clauses of this verse, saying “and make you clean from all your idols and everything else that has defiled 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 .
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