The name that is transliterated as “Jacob” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language and American Sign Language with the signs signifying “hairy forearm” (referring to the story starting at Genesis 27:11). (Source: Tarja Sandholm, Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Esau” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 32:19:
Newari: “He also instructed the second and third servant following him as well as all who went following the herds in exactly the same way — ‘When you meet Esau, you also say like that.'” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The same-thing he also said to the second, to the third and to all the servants who were-following the animals.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “He also said the same thing to the servants who were taking care of the second and third groups, and to the other herdsmen. He said to them, ‘When you meet Esau, I want you to say to him the same thing that I told the first servant.” (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 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).
He likewise instructed the second and the third: Jacob gave the same instructions to the herdsmen leading the second and the third herds.
And all who followed the droves: doubtless this clause refers to herdsmen, as they are included with those who received the instruction concerning what is to be said to Esau. Verse 19 may then be translated, for example, “He also told the leaders of the second and third herds and all the other herdsmen.”
You shall say the same thing to Esau … him: same thing means give the same replies as told to the herdsmen of the first herd.
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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