Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Hosea 5:15:
Kupsabiny: “Then I shall return to my house/dwelling until my people accept that they have sinned. Matters shall pain them at that time/place until they search for me.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “I will go back and stay in my place until they acknowledge their sin, They will start seeking to see my face. When they experience suffering and trouble they will seek me intensely.’” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Afterwards I will-return to my place, until they admit their sins. And they will- surely -take-refuge in me in their suffering.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “After that, I will return to my place in heaven until they admit that they have sinned and return to me; when they will experience many troubles, they will request me to help them.’” (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.
This verse is a smooth transition from 5.14 to 6.1, but it stands apart from both the preceding verse and the following one. Therefore it seems proper to make it a separate paragraph (so Good News Translation). The departure of the lion becomes Yahweh’s own departure from his people as he waits for them to repent and then seek him. The hope for their repentance, in turn, leads into the statement of repentance in 6.1. The metaphor of the lion is gradually fading away and no longer should remain the central picture in this verse.
I will return again to my place: My place may at first seem to refer to the Temple in Jerusalem as Yahweh’s “place” (so Contemporary English Version). But according to some scholars, his heavenly dwelling is more likely the intended place (see 1 Kgs 8.30), where he can remain out of contact until they repent. Bible en français courant renders this line as “I will return to my home” (similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Good News Translation says “I will abandon my people,” which gives a result of the action but not the action itself. Wolff takes this line as the last part of the lion metaphor: the lion withdraws to his place of hiding. NET Bible follows this interpretation with “Then I will return again to my lair.”
Until they acknowledge their guilt is literally “until they become guilty.” One interpretation for this clause is that Yahweh waits for them to commit a sin so that they will want to bring him a sacrifice, and that will be the moment of reconciliation. But they are already guilty, so most commentators favor the meaning that they become burdened with their guilt. The Hebrew verb here occurs in 4.15 (see comments there).
And seek my face: See the comments on the similar expression “seek the LORD” in 3.5 and 5.6. Here it again means to worship Yahweh, including offering a sacrifice for guilt.
And in their distress they seek me: This line is parallel to the previous one. In their distress is another way of speaking about them feeling their guilt. Andersen and Freedman note that it is more logical for them to feel their distress before realizing they are guilty. Good News Translation includes something of this idea by saying “until they have suffered enough for their sins” and then repeating the idea with “Perhaps in their suffering.” The word “Perhaps” makes explicit the sense of hope that is included in the tense of the Hebrew verb here. They seek me is a parallel way of saying seek my face, but the Hebrew verb for seek in this line includes the idea of doing it early, at dawn, implying eagerness to find Yahweh. Some believe this involved a dawn liturgy. Most translators will be able to express only the central ideas of these terms, as in Good News Translation with “come looking for me” and “will try to find me.” It probably is more important to retain the thought of seeking a God who has departed than to include the idea of worship. The two Hebrew verbs for seek were terms used in two different parts of the country. The first was commonly used in Judah, while the second was commonly used in Israel. Used together they seem to emphasize God’s hope that all the people will eagerly and truly seek God in repentance.
Saying is not in the Hebrew text, but Revised Standard Version believes this verse introduces chapter 6, so saying is therefore implied. Translators may or may not include a similar expression, as they determine the best form for this transitional verse. See especially the comments on 6.1.
A translation model for this verse is:
• I will go back to my place
until they realize their guilt.
Then they will seek me.
When they are distressed,
they will search for me.
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 .
Then I will return to My place: In Hebrew, the word Then does not occur here. The Berean Standard Bible and some other versions have supplied it to introduce the next event. The word Then makes explicit that this event happens after the LORD completes the judgment of 5:14. Some versions leave this sequence implied. For example:
I will return again to my place (English Standard Version)
Indicate this sequence of events in a natural way in your language.
I will return to My place: This clause concludes the figure of speech in which the LORD compares himself to a lion. A lion returns to its “lair” (NET Bible) after killing its prey. Similarly, the LORD will return to his place in heaven after he punishes Israel and Judah. Since this clause does not continue to use figurative terms about a lion, it may be better to translate the term My place in a way that does not refer specifically to a lion’s den.
Here are some ways to translate My place :
• Use a general term that can refer to either the dwelling place of a lion or of the LORD. For example:
my place (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
the place where I live/stay
• Use a specific term that refers to the dwelling place of the LORD. For example:
my home ⌊in heaven ⌋
• Translate the meaning without referring to a place. For example:
I will abandon my people (Good News Translation)
5:15b–c
The New Century Version has been used as the source line for 5:15b–c, because it follows the recommended interpretation and sentence structure. Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
15b until they suffer for their guilt and turn back tome. (New Century Version)
15c In their troublethey will look forme. (New Century Version)
(New Century Version) until: This word introduces the event that will end the time of the LORD’s withdrawal from the people of Israel and Judah. In some languages, it may be helpful to make some of this information explicit. For example:
I will go back to my place. ⌊I will remain there ⌋ until…
(New Century Version) they suffer for their guilt: In this context, there are two ways to interpret the Hebrew word that the New Century Version translates as they suffer for their guilt :
(1) It means “to bear the consequences of guilt or sin.” For example:
I will abandon my people (Good News Translation)
(Good News Translation, New American Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible)
(2) It means “to acknowledge that they are guilty of sin.” For example:
I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face. (English Standard Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most lexicons and commentaries. However, most versions follow interpretation (2), so it is suggested that you give this interpretation in a footnote.
Here are some reasons to follow interpretation (1):
(a) This word is not translated as “admit/acknowledge guilt” elsewhere in the Old Testament.
(b) This word occurs elsewhere in Hosea with the sense “bear the consequences of guilt.” See 10:2 and 13:16.
(c) This sense fits the message of Hosea very well. In the preceding chapters the people have been informed repeatedly of the nature of their sin. The LORD has also warned them repeatedly that he was going to punish them.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
until they have suffered their punishment (NET Bible) -or-
until they have borne the consequences of their sin
(New Century Version) In their trouble: This phrase is parallel to the clause “they suffer for their guilt.” These parallel ideas both refer to the suffering of the people of Israel and Judah. Their suffering is a result of the LORD’s judgment against them. See 5:12–14.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
in their misery (New International Version) -or-
in their suffering (Good News Translation)
(New Century Version) turn back to me…they will look for me: These statements are more literally:
they will seek my face…they will earnestly seek me (New International Version)
These parallel statements refer to a time when the people will turn to the LORD to follow him. They will earnestly desire to worship and serve him. For more information on what it means to “seek the LORD,” see the note on 3:5a.
The meaning of the second term is more intense or emphatic than the first, as is often the case in Hebrew poetry.
Here are some other ways to translate it:
search diligently for me (Revised English Bible) -or-
seek me eagerly (New Jerusalem Bible)
(New Century Version) me…me: The first word is literally “my face” in Hebrew. It is a figurative way to say me.
General Comment on 5:15b–c
In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. For example:
until they have suffered for their sin and they finally seek me earnestly.
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