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).

Honorary "are" construct denoting God (“say”)

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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

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

Translation commentary on John 19:26

In Greek Jesus saw is literally “So (oun) Jesus, having seen….” Revised Standard Version translates with a subordinate clause: “When Jesus saw….” Good News Translation uses an independent clause for the sake of a more natural English style.

The disciple he loved is first mentioned in 13.23 (see the comments there). Since there are two attributives to the disciple, namely, he loved and standing there, it may be necessary to restructure: “The disciple whom Jesus loved was also standing there, next to Jesus’ mother. When Jesus saw them both, he said….”

In Greek Jesus addresses his mother as “Woman.” Good News Translation had dropped this form of address (compare 2.4, where Good News Translation also omits it, and 4.21, where Good News Translation has kept it), in order to avoid the impression that Jesus was being impolite to his mother.

Since the beloved disciple was not actually the son of Jesus’ mother, He is your son may have to be translated “Consider him as your son,” in order to avoid suggesting a kinship relationship which is not explained. Similarly in verse 27 She is your mother may be rendered “Consider her as your mother.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .