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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.
In this verse Revised Standard Version‘s literal rendering shows how the Hebrew uses two parallel clauses that mean nearly the same thing, the second clause expressing the idea negatively. Good News Translation combines them into one statement. If a poetic rendering is preferred in the receptor language, we do not recommend the Good News Translation model here.
For renders the Hebrew waw conjunction. This conjunction is not necessarily a sequential connector. In this context some scholars believe it introduces an explanation of the previous verse (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). However, it seems more likely that this verse should be seen as parallel to the previous one. Therefore Good News Translation, New International Version, New Living Translation, and many other translations have left it untranslated.
I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth has connotations of God not allowing the Israelites to use the names of Baal’s idols. In some languages it is not possible to say remove the names, as if the names were physical objects. An appropriate idiom may have to be used, particularly in combination with from her mouth. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch uses a German idiom by rendering this verse as “I will make you no longer take the word Baal into the mouth.” Bijbel in Gewone Taal has “I will make sure that the name Baal does not pass your lips anymore.” The names of the Baals reflects the many idols dedicated to Baal that were named for their respective locations (see comments on 2.13). The Hebrew switches from second to third person for Israel by using the pronoun her instead of “your” (see the previous verse). In translation this issue should be handled consistently with similar switches elsewhere in the text.
And they shall be mentioned by name no more is literally “and they shall not be remembered [or, invoked] again by their name.” In worship the deity was considered to be present when his name was mentioned. In Hebrew “to call on the name of” is a synonymous expression for worship. Therefore the effect of this verse is to put an end to the worship of Baal. New American Bible implies this with “they shall no longer be invoked.” Another possible model is “they will no longer be worshiped.”
A translation model for this verse is:
• I will remove the names of Baal idols from your [or, her] lips,
no longer will they be worshiped.
Quoted with permission from Dorn, Louis & van Steenbergen, Gerrit. A Handbook on Hosea. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
17a For I will remove from her lipsthe names of the Baals;
17b no longer willtheir namesbe invoked.
This verse explains why Israel will no longer use the names of Baal to refer to her husband, the LORD. It is because the LORD will stop Israel from doing so.
The first line means that the LORD will cause Israel to stop saying the various names of Baal. The second line indicates the result of the LORD’s action. The result is that the nation of Israel will no longer use the names of Baal, especially in prayers or vows.
Some versions, such as the Berean Standard Bible, leave this reason-result relationship implied. Other versions make it explicit. For example:
For I will remove the names of the Baal idols from your lips, so that you will never again utter their names! (NET Bible)
Express this relationship in a natural way in your language.
2:17a
For I will remove from her lips the names of the Baals: This is a figure of speech in which the phrase her lips (literally “her mouth,” as in the New Revised Standard Version) represents the action (of speaking) performed by the mouth. The line as a whole means that the LORD will not allow the Israelites to speak the names of the Baals. For example:
I will never let her say the names of Baal again (New Century Version)
her lips: The Hebrew uses the pronoun her and not “your,” even though the pronoun refers to the same person here as in the previous verse. See the note on the pronoun “you” in 2:16b–c for translation advice.
Baals: The word Baals is plural. See the note on 2:13a. You should translate it the same way in both verses.
2:17b
no longer will their names be invoked: This is a passive clause. In some languages, it may be necessary to use an active clause and to make explicit a subject of the verb. For example:
people won’t use their names anymore (New Century Version)
General Comment on 2:17a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. For example:
I will never let her speak the name of Baal again. (Good News Translation)
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