Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 22:23:
Kupsabiny: “I shall make him get prosperity in his work and bring honor to the house of his father.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Like a nail pounded into a firm place I will put him firmly [in place], and it will be a place of honor for his whole family.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “I will-make- him -firm/cause- him -to-be-firm on his position like a something-to-hang-on on the wall. And he will-bring-honor to his family.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “I will cause his family to be greatly respected, because I will put him firmly in his position as supervisor of the workers in the palace, like a nail that is firmly hammered into a wall.” (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.
And I will fasten him like a peg in a sure place is a simile of Eliakim’s dependability and stability. The Hebrew text uses a metaphor rather than a simile, saying “And I will fasten him a peg in a sure place.” A metaphor tends to have a stronger impact than a simile. I will fasten him renders the Hebrew verb for hammering something in place. The Hebrew word translated peg may refer to a tent peg (Jdg 4.21; 5.26) or a wall peg (Ezek 15.3). The reference to it in verse 25 indicates a wall peg is meant here. A sure place is literally correct, but this phrase probably means the peg is set firmly in place rather than the place itself is firm. For this whole clause Revised English Bible has “I shall fasten him firmly in place like a peg.”
And he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house: This is the result of Eliakim’s stability. A throne of honor (literally “a throne of glory”) is a metaphor for the honor Eliakim will bring to his family. His father’s house refers to the family of his father Hilkiah. This clause may be rendered “and he will hold a position/place that brings honor to his father’s family.” Good News Translation is helpful with “and he will be a source of honor to his whole family.”
Translation examples for this verse are:
• And I will set him in place firmly like a peg in a wall,
and he will hold a position that brings honor to his father’s family.
• And I will fix him firmly in place like a peg (nail),
and his position will bring honor to his father’s family.
Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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