complete verse (Isaiah 29:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 29:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “Those confused people shall come to their senses
    and those who complain shall love to be taught.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Foolish people who are confused in their spirit will get foresight,
    and those who keep on complaining will obey instructions."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Those who are confused will- now -be-able-to understand the truth, and those who complain will- now -rejoice when being-taught.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When that happens, those who have not been able to think well will think clearly,
    and those who complain about what I am doing will accept what I am teaching them.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Isaiah 29:24

And those who err in spirit will come to understanding: Those who err in spirit are foolish people who have no understanding and whose minds are confused (so Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This phrase does not mean that they have sinned, though they might well be. The noun spirit refers to the inner person. Will come to understanding means their confusion will be replaced by wisdom. They will be wise again, reversing the situation described in verse 14. For understanding see the comments on 11.2.

And those who murmur will accept instruction: This line is parallel to the previous one. It further emphasizes that the people will be wise again. In Deut 1.27 the Hebrew verb rendered murmur has the sense of complaining and being critical of others. In this context those who murmur seems to refer to people who not know what they were talking about, so they say stupid things when they grumble. Will accept instruction means they will be ready to learn, reversing their foolishness. The Hebrew word for instruction is used primarily in the book of Proverbs (for example, 1.5 and 9.9, where it is rendered “learning”).

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Those whose minds are confused will gain understanding,
and those who mindlessly complain will accept instruction.”

• Those who are confused will [once again] grow in knowledge,
and those who grumble senselessly will be happy to learn.”

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 .