complete verse (Joel 2:29)

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

  • Kupsabiny: “I will also anoint with my Spirit in those days
    servants/slaves whether men or women.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “And on that day, I will also pour out my spirit
    on my men servants and women servants.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “In that time I will- also -give my Spirit to male and female servants.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Even the males and females who are slaves, I will send my Spirit to enter them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

See also complete verse (Acts 2:18),

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 Joel 2:29

Even upon the menservants and the maidservants: God’s spirit will not be restricted to the leading people but will be shared with the poorer classes as well. Menservants and maidservants include not only hired workers but also slaves, who were part of the community in ancient times. No one is left out on the basis of whether they are important or unimportant people. New Revised Standard Version says “male and female slaves,” while Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version have “servants, both men and women.”

In those days refers to the time in the future when the day of Yahweh will occur. Good News Translation says “At that time.”

I will pour out my spirit repeats part of the second line of the previous verse. Such repetition frequently shows the end of a discourse segment in Joel (see the comments on verse 27). Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation insert a blank line at the end of this verse to indicate such a discourse break.

Good News Translation and Revised English Bible have reversed the order of the two lines in this verse for better style. Translators may do the same if it is appropriate in their language.

Quoted with permission from de Blois, Kees & Dorn, Louis. A Handbook on Joel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .