behold / look / see (Japanese honorifics)

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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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God or a person or persons to be greatly honored, the honorific prefix go- (御 or ご) can be used, as in go-ran (ご覧), a combination of “behold / see” (ran) and the honorific prefix go-.

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

See also Japanese benefactives (goran).

Japanese benefactives (irete)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, irete (入れて) or “put in” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Japanese benefactives (inotte)

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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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, inotte (祈って) or “pray” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Jeremiah 42:2

Jeremiah the prophet: It is probably sufficient at this point in the book to say just “Jeremiah.” Of course, translators who have followed Good News Translation in switching to first person will have “me.”

Let our supplication come before you: This is a very unnatural and awkward construction for English readers. The revised rendering of New Revised Standard Version is clear: “Be good enough to listen to our plea.” Good News Translation has “Please do what we ask you,” and New Jerusalem Bible, somewhat more formal, translates “Please hear our petition.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “Fulfill our wish.” All of these are very polite forms for making a request. For supplication see 37.20, where Revised Standard Version has “humble plea.”

The LORD your God: The text has your God, which Good News Translation has rendered “our God.” In this whole passage, Jeremiah speaks of “your God” when talking to the people, and they use “your God” when speaking to him (except for verse 6). For this reason, “our God” may be more natural, although most versions have not felt the need to make this change.

This remnant (see 6.9) refers to the people themselves, as is made clear in the parenthetical statement that follows. In Good News Translation all this remnant is translated by the phrase “all of us who have survived.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch simply uses the pronoun “us,” followed by the statement, “We were once many; but as you see, only a few of us remain.”

The expression in the text, as your eyes see us, is an example of one part of the body (your eyes) representing the whole person. Hence “as you can see” (Good News Translation) is clearer for most readers.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .