Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 33:13:
Kupsabiny: “Please, you who are far away, listen to the words/things I have done. And you who are nearby, fear my power.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “O people living far away, hear what I have done! O people living nearby, acknowledge my power!"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “You (plur.) nations from afar and near, (plur.) listen to what I have-done and acknowledge my greatness.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
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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.
Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and you who are near, acknowledge my might: Yahweh addresses two groups of people here: those who are far off and those who are near (see also 57.19). Some have suggested that this refers to God’s people in exile (far off) and those still in Judah (near), but this is probably incorrect. The terms should not even be taken in their literal sense. They are simply a way of referring to all people. Everyone is included. This is very clear in Good News Translation, which says “everyone near and far.” Good News Translation also makes it clear that the commands Hear … what I have done and acknowledge my might apply to both groups. This verse is a clear example of all-inclusive parallelism. If a literal translation might give the impression that the LORD is addressing two different groups of people, giving them each a different assignment, then Good News Translation is a good model. Contemporary English Version and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch provide similar models.
Hear … what I have done is a call to do more than just listen; it means that Yahweh wants the people to take full account of what he has done, to recognize it and be aware of it. What I have done probably refers to all Yahweh’s deeds.
The LORD also calls on all people to acknowledge my might. They are to recognize and admit the great things Yahweh has done. Might does not merely refer to Yahweh’s power, but to the mighty acts he has performed, especially in rescuing Judah from foreign enemies.
Some translation examples for this verse are:
• You who are afar, recognize what I have done;
you who are near, affirm my mighty acts.”
• Recognize what I have done, you who live far off;
admit my mighty acts, you who are near.”
• Whether you live far or near,
recognize what I have done,
and confirm my mighty acts!”
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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