complete verse (Genesis 42:34)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 42:34:

  • Kankanaey: “Then return here bringing-along that youngest sibling of yours so-that I will thereby-know that you are not spies. Then I will cause-to-be-returned your tied-up sibling and never-mind where you go here (i.e. you may go anywhere) to buy what you will eat,’ he said,’ said Jose’s siblings in storying-it.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “You, however, do not fail to bring your younger brother here.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But [you (pl.)] bring here to me your (pl.) youngest-sibling so-that I will-know that you (pl.) are-telling the truth and you (pl.) (are) not spies. Afterwards, I will-return to you (pl.) your (pl.) sibling/(brother) Simeon, and I will-allow you (pl.) to come-and-go here in Egipto.”” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But when you return, bring your youngest brother to me, in order that I will know that you are not spies, but instead, that you are honest men. Then I will release your brother for you. And then you can buy whatever you want in this country.”” (Source: Translation for Translators)

2nd person pronoun with low 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 second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person.

In these verses, however, omae (おまえ) is used, a cruder second person pronoun, that Jesus for instance chooses when chiding his disciples. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also first person pronoun with low register and third person pronoun with low register.

Translation commentary on Genesis 42:34

Bring your youngest brother to me: see verse 20.

I will deliver to you your brother: that is, “I will let you have your brother back.” Joseph meant this, but according to verse 20 he did not say it.

And you shall trade in the land: for trade see 34.10. This remark was never made by Joseph to the brothers in the narrative we have in verses 6-25. Trade in the land is expressed in a number of different ways by translators; for example, “you will be free to travel around in this country” and “you can stay in the country and engage in business.”

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 .