complete verse (Isaiah 49:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 49:16:

  • Kupsabiny: “Look, I have engraved you in my hand, oh, Zion,
    I always look at how your walls are.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Look! I have engraved you on my hands.
    I think continually of your walls, O Jerusalem.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘O Jerusalem I will- never -forget you (sing.). I wrote-down your (sing.) name on my palms. I always think that your (sing.) stone-walled will-be-built-up again.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Note that I have written your names on the palms of my hands;
    in my mind I can always see the walls of your city.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

1st person pronoun referring to God (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 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.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Isaiah 49:16

Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands: As proof that he has not forgotten Zion, Yahweh invites its people to look at what is drawn on his hands to show his commitment to them. The word Behold calls for their attention. New International Version renders it “See,” but Good News Translation omits it. The palm is the hollow, inside part of the hand. For the palms of my hands, several translations say simply “my hands” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) or “my hand” (Contemporary English Version). The Hebrew verb rendered graven can also mean “to carve” or “to inscribe” (see 30.8). It implies writing down something firmly, or even decreeing it. In this context of palms, the verb “draw” or “write” may be used. For a correct understanding of this line we have to look at the closely related second line; it gives an important clue. Good News Translation, New American Bible, and Bible en français courant believe Zion’s name is written on the LORD’s hands, so they render the pronoun you as “your name.” However, the next line states that Jerusalem’s city walls are in Yahweh’s mind. This indicates that what is drawn on the LORD’s hands is a picture of the city itself. The Septuagint supports this interpretation. Contemporary English Version expresses it clearly by rendering this line as “A picture of your city is drawn on my hand.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is similar with “Jerusalem, I have made a drawing of you on my hands, a drawing that cannot be erased.” This interpretation relates to the idea that there was a heavenly model for the city, similar to Ezek 40. Similar ideas are found in Sumerian thought. Translators have a choice when translating this line, though we prefer Contemporary English Version and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch as models. Most versions have a literal rendering, which is a valid alternative. The models of Good News Translation and Bible en français courant are also acceptable.

Your walls are continually before me: The walls that surrounded and defended many ancient cities were often their most imposing features (see the comments on 2.15). The same applies to the city of Jerusalem, even today, although much of its present wall does not go back to such ancient times. So your walls can be understood to represent the whole city. Yahweh says they are continually before me. This is true in an immediate sense, because he carries on the palms of his hands a picture of the city. The deeper sense is that Yahweh thinks about Jerusalem or even watches over her constantly. He certainly has not forgotten Jerusalem, and that is how Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version interpret this line. They do not mention walls, but translate this line respectively as follows: “Jerusalem, I can never forget you!” and “You are always in my thoughts!” Good News Translation also reverses the two lines in this verse.

For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:

• Look, I have drawn a picture of you on the palms of my hands;
your city walls are constantly on my mind.

• See the plan I have of you on the palms of my hands;
I think continually of your walls.

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 .