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 Adamawa Fulfulde translation uses the exclusive pronoun.
The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “sanctuary” in English is translated in the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) with opatulika or “separated place.” This is understood in a religious setup as a place designated for worship. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 63:18:
Kupsabiny: “Your people found only a little peace in that land which you gave them but now your enemies have destroyed your House.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Your people had the chance to have authority in your holy place only for some time. Now our enemies have been trampling your holy place.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “(It is) only short time that your (sing.) holy people have-possessed your (sing.) temple; and now our (excl.) enemies have-destroyed/ruined it.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Translators of different languages have found different ways with what kind of formality God is addressed. The first example is from a language where God is always addressed distinctly formal whereas the second is one where the opposite choice was made.
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Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.
As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.
In these verses, in which humans address God, the informal, familiar pronoun is used that communicates closeness.
Voinov notes that “in the Tuvan Bible, God is only addressed with the informal pronoun. No exceptions. An interesting thing about this is that I’ve heard new Tuvan believers praying with the formal form to God until they are corrected by other Christians who tell them that God is close to us so we should address him with the informal pronoun. As a result, the informal pronoun is the only one that is used in praying to God among the Tuvan church.”
In Gbaya, “a superior, whether father, uncle, or older brother, mother, aunt, or older sister, president, governor, or chief, is never addressed in the singular unless the speaker intends a deliberate insult. When addressing the superior face to face, the second person plural pronoun ɛ́nɛ́ or ‘you (pl.)’ is used, similar to the French usage of vous.
Accordingly, the translators of the current version of the Gbaya Bible chose to use the plural ɛ́nɛ́ to address God. There are a few exceptions. In Psalms 86:8, 97:9, and 138:1, God is addressed alongside other “gods,” and here the third person pronoun o is used to avoid confusion about who is being addressed. In several New Testament passages (Matthew 21:23, 26:68, 27:40, Mark 11:28, Luke 20:2, 23:37, as well as in Jesus’ interaction with Pilate and Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well) the less courteous form for Jesus is used to indicate ignorance of his position or mocking (source Philip Noss).
In Dutch and Western Frisian translations, however, God is always addressed with the formal pronoun.
Thy holy people possessed thy sanctuary a little while; our adversaries have trodden it down: As the GNB footnote|prj:GNTD.Isa 63.18 indicates, this verse is unclear in Hebrew. It is literally (without punctuation) “For a short time they possessed people of your holiness our adversaries they have trodden down your sanctuary.” Revised Standard Version and most versions understand “people of your holiness” as the subject of the verb “possessed.” They read the verse as follows: “For a short time [only] your holy people possessed your sanctuary; our adversaries have trodden it down.” However, Good News Translation and other versions see “our adversaries” as the agent of the verb “possessed,” and they understand this verb to mean “drive out.” They read this verse as follows: “Your holy people were driven out by our adversaries for a little while; they have trodden down your sanctuary.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says either reading is valid. Revised English Bible emends the first line of this verse in Masoretic Text to read “Why have the wicked trespassed on your sanctuary…?” (similarly New American Bible), but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends keeping Masoretic Text.
For holy people, see the comments on 4.3. If thy sanctuary refers to the Temple of Solomon (see 60.13), the time phrase a little while does not fit, because this Temple stood in Jerusalem for about 400 years. This is the only place in the Old Testament where the Hebrew noun for a little while is rendered as a time phrase. In this context it is better to say “for a time.” Our adversaries could refer to the Assyrians or the Babylonians, or both. It is true that the Assyrians did not destroy the Temple in Jerusalem, but they did strip it of all its valuables for tribute and desecrated it. Have trodden it down is a figurative expression for destroying the Temple (compare verse 6, where the same Hebrew verb is used).
It is clear that views of the text of this verse and its possible meaning vary. Translators will probably choose to follow a recognized version available in their area, unless in principle they determine to follow Masoretic Text. The majority interpretation of the text is clear enough, namely, God’s people had his Temple for a short time, but their enemies came and destroyed it. A footnote should be added, regardless of the rendering chosen, to indicate that the meaning of the Hebrew text is uncertain.
For the translation of this verse consider the following examples:
• Your people possessed your sanctuary for a time,
but our enemies then destroyed it.
• Your holy people were driven out by our enemies for a time,
they destroyed your sanctuary.
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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