vanity

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “vanity,” “emptiness,” “breath,” or similar in English is translated in Mandarin Chinese as xūkōng (虚空) or “hollow,” “empty.” This is a term that is loaned from Buddhist terminology where it is used for Akasha (Sanskrit: आकाश). (Source: Zetzsche)

abomination

The Hebrew that is translated as “abomination” or similar in English is translated in Vidunda as “hated thing” and in Kwere as zitibusa which means “evil” but also something that causes horror or disgust and revolts people. (Source for both: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

in Ngambay it is nékɔb or “taboo.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also detestable in the sight of God and holy.

complete verse (Isaiah 41:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 41:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “Those idols are truly useless
    and they cannot do anything.
    One should keep away from anybody
    who bows to those things.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But you are useless,
    and your work is totally useless. [lit. not even one little bit of your work is useful]
    The ones who have chosen you are repulsive.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But the truth is, you (plur.) are no value/nothing, and you (plur.) have done nothing at-all. The ones who-choose to worship you (plur.) are-detestable.” (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 41:24

In this verse Yahweh draws his conclusion, addressing the gods of the nations directly. He emphasizes they are worthless. He begins with the attention-getting word Behold to make his point.

You are nothing, and your work is nought is literally “you [are] from nothing, and your work [is] from nothing.” The gods don’t exist, so they cannot do anything. New International Version expresses the Hebrew preposition for “from” as “less than” by rendering these two clauses as “you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless” (similarly Bible en français courant), which is a good model. The Hebrew term rendered nothing is the keyword ʾayin; see the comments on verse 11. The Hebrew noun work comes from the same root as the verb rendered “performed” in verse 4. It may be rendered “actions,” “achievements,” or “deeds.” Good News Translation combines both clauses by saying “You and all you do are nothing.”

An abomination is he who chooses you: The Hebrew noun translated abomination is a technical term for something that is so offensive that God rejects it entirely. This word is used mainly in the context of worshiping other gods (see the comments on 1.13). Here the people who worship any of the gods are an abomination to God. He totally rejects them. Chooses may be rendered “chooses to worship/follow.”

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Look, you don’t even exist,
so you cannot do anything!
Anyone who chooses to worship you I totally reject.

• Look, you are nothing [or, totally worthless],
you can’t do anything!
I detest anyone who chooses to worship you.

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 .