inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Isa 41:23)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the exclusive pronoun.

complete verse (Isaiah 41:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 41:23:

  • Kupsabiny: “Let (them) just say what is coming the day after tomorrow,
    so it can be known that they have power like God.
    Let them do go or bad
    for us to see if we should be afraid
    and be trembling!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Now tell us information of what is going to happen,
    From that we may be able to learn [whether] you really are a god.
    Do something, anything, good or bad,
    that will make us terrified and make us live in fear.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You (plur.) come-near and tell us (excl.) what will-happen in the future. Tell us (excl.) what have- you (plur.) -spoken before that will-happen so-that we (excl.) can-think if this was-fulfilled. Tell us (excl.) what will-happen in the future so-that we (excl.) will-know that you (plur.) are gods. You (plur.) do good-(thing) or bad-(thing) so-that we (excl.) will-be-amazed and terrified of you (plur.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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 formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Isaiah 41:23

Tell us what is to come hereafter: Yahweh again challenges the gods of the nations to predict the future. Good News Translation translates “Tell us what the future holds.” A simpler equivalent is “Tell us what will happen.”

That we may know that you are gods: If these gods predict the future correctly, then Yahweh will know they are real gods. Revised Standard Version‘s connector that gives the impression that they can prove they are real by simply saying what will happen. However, they can only claim to be gods when what they predict actually happens. The common Hebrew conjunction rendered that (literally “and”) is better translated “then” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible). The Hebrew noun rendered gods is ʾelohim, which is the usual term for “God.” It has a plural form, so it could be rendered “gods” or “God.” In the context “gods” is better. For the first two lines of this verse Bible en français courant provides a helpful model with “Yes, tell us what will happen, and then we will know if you are truly gods.”

Do good, or do harm: Yahweh challenges the gods to do anything, whether good or bad, to prove they are real. He uses the two extremes of good and harm to refer to anything.

That we may be dismayed and terrified: This is the consequence of the gods being able to doing anything. As in the second line, the Hebrew common conjunction rendered that is better translated “then.” For the Hebrew verb rendered be dismayed, see the comments on verse 10. In this context it probably comes from the root meaning “to look” or “to gaze.” For the Hebrew verb translated terrified, Revised Standard Version follows the emended text in Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, but the original text has “see.” There is no textual support for the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia suggestion. As de Waard points out, there is no need to follow the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia suggestion since “fear” is hardly the expected response. The only reason to render it “fear” is if Yahweh is using it ironically. But it is more likely that he wants to be able to see whether the gods can make correct predictions about the future. Bible en français courant provides a helpful model for the last two lines of this verse with “Do only a bit of good or evil, so that we can all be admiring witnesses of it.” Like Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, this is the understanding we prefer. However, many modern versions have the sense of “fear” here (for example, RSV/NRSV, Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible), so translators should add a footnote concerning this alternative reading.

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Tell us [accurately] what will happen in the future,
and then we will know whether you are truly gods.
Do anything you like, good or ill,
and we will look carefully and see it.

• Predict to us the [correct] future,
then we will know whether you are divine or not.
Do something, be it beneficial or harmful,
then we will look closely and see it.

• Tell us of the [actual] future events,
and we will know whether you are real gods.
Do anything, good or harmful,
then we will examine it carefully.

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 .