in the months of old

The Hebrew in Job 29:2 that is translated as “in the months of old” or similar in English is translated in Chichewa (interconfessional translation) with the existing proverb “in the time of yesterday’s mother.” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 131)

complete verse (Job 29:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Job 29:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “Please, I wish that my life was still like before
    when God was still taking care of/guarding me.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “How good it would be if God would care for me as He did in former times. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘If only the past days could be-retrieved when God still watched-over me,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

Japanese benefactives (mamotte)

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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, mamotte (守って) or “protect” 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 Job 29:2

Oh, that I were as in the months of old: this verse uses the same formula for wishing that is seen in 11.5; 23.3. Job wishes that he could relive his past times of happiness. The formula means “How I wish I could relive…” or, as Good News Translation says, “If only my life could….” Line a has months of old, which is paralleled in line b by days. Chapter 7.3 follows the same pattern, with “months” in a and “nights” in b. As in the months of old translates the Hebrew literally. The expression refers to the past, or times gone by. Job wants to recapture the past: “Oh, if only I could relive the past,” “I wish I could return to my former days,” “I wish I were as I used to be,” or “If I could only be again as I used to be!”

As in the days when God watched over me: the second line expresses the shorter time, as is typical of time units in parallelism. Watched over me refers to God’s guarding, caring for Job. The same verb is used of God spying on Job in 10.14; 13.27; 14.16, but here the sense is as in Psalm 91.11, “For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “God protected me,” and New Jerusalem Bible “When God was my guardian,” that is, “When God took good care of me.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .