complete verse (Isaiah 65:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 65:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “Sharon shall become where goats/sheep are grazed
    and cows shall be herded in the valley of Achor.
    That place shall become
    where my people who worship me shall look after (the cows)” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “For the people who seek me, Sharon [will be] a field for grazing sheep and goats,
    and as for the valley of Achor,
    [that] will be a place for herds to rest.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I will-bless them who take-refuge in me. The plain/valley of Sharon and Acor will-be a grazing field for their animals.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then all the land from the Sharon Plain near the Mediterranean Sea and as far east as Achor Valley near Jericho will become pastureland
    where their cattle and sheep will rest.” (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 65:10

Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down: These two parallel lines mean the land of Judah will become a fertile grazing area again. They also refer figuratively to the peace and safety that the people will enjoy. Sharon refers to the plain south of Mount Carmel, between the central mountain range and the Mediterranean Sea (see the comments on 33.9). It is a very fertile agricultural area. The Valley of Achor is possibly the Wadi Kelt that runs from Jerusalem to south of Jericho. It is on the eastern side of the central mountain range, parallel to the Plain of Sharon. It is also a fine agricultural area. Good News Translation renders Achor as “Trouble,” which is the literal meaning of the Hebrew word here as well as the idea for which the place became known (see Josh 7.24-26). But the reason for identifying both the Valley of Achor and the Plain of Sharon is that both were fertile grazing areas. After the general devastation of the land, both these regions will become productive once again. Good News Translation indicates their general location by saying the Plain of Sharon is “in the west” and the Valley of Achor is “in the east.” These two regions are probably mentioned together to refer to the whole land.

The Hebrew noun for flocks refers to herds of small animals such as sheep and goats (see the comments on 61.5), while the noun for herds is a general word for “cattle” (see 11.7). A place … to lie down is literally “a resting place,” a place for lying down.

For my people who have sought me: Yahweh promises that those who have been faithful to him will enjoy peace and safety. The Hebrew verb for sought occurred earlier in verse 1. Here it means “to remain faithful.” Good News Translation renders this line freely with “They will worship me,” and places it at the beginning of the verse. Bible en français courant also begins with it, but stays closer to the Hebrew with “For those who turn toward me.”

Translation examples for this verse are:

• The Plain of Sharon will become a place to pasture sheep and goats,
and the Valley of Achor will be a place where cattle can rest,
for my people who have been faithful to me.

• For my people who have remained faithful to me,
the Plain of Sharon will provide pasture for flocks of sheep and goat,
and the Valley of Achor will be a place where herds of cattle can rest.

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 .