In Bauzi “swear” can be translated in various ways. In Hebrews 6:13, for instance, it is translated with “bones break apart and decisively speak.” (“No bones are literally broken but by saying ‘break bones’ it is like people swear by someone else in this case it is in relation to a rotting corpse’ bones falling apart. If you ‘break bones’ so to speak when you make an utterance, it is a true utterance.”) In other passages, such as in Matthew 26:72, it’s translated with an expression that implies taking ashes (“if a person wants everyone to know that he is telling the truth about a matter, he reaches down into the fireplace, scoops up some ashes and throws them while saying ‘I was not the one who did that.'”). So in Matthew 26:72 the Bauzi text is: “. . . Peter took ashes and defended himself saying, ‘I don’t know that Nazareth person.'” (Source: David Briley)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 1:6:
Kupsabiny: “God continued to say to Joshua, ‘Be courageous and strong because you are going to lead this people to go and take over the country that I had promised your forefathers.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Be strong and courageous! For you will be the leader to bring them into the land that I swore on oath to their ancestors to give them as their possession.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “[You (sing.)] be-firm and be-brave/courageous, for you (sing.) will-lead this people to possess the land which I swore to-give to their ancestors/[lit. old-ones].” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “‘e strong and courageous, because you are the one who will lead these Israeli people and enable them to possess the land that I solemnly promised to their ancestors that I would give them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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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.
Verse 6 opens with a command expressed in Hebrew by two synonymous verbs: “be strong and be courageous” (also verses 7, 9, 18). These are translated in a variety of ways: New English Bible “be strong, be resolute”; Jerusalem Bible “be strong and stand firm”; An American Translation, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “Be strong and brave”; Moffatt “Be strong, be brave.”
You will be the leader of these people as they occupy this land translates “you will cause this people to inherit the land.” The Hebrew verb translated “to inherit” expresses the basic idea that the land is a gift from the Lord to his people; they “inherit” it from him. After all is said and done, the land of Canaan will be theirs not because of their strength or prowess in battle but because the Lord gives it to them. Good News Translation avoids the use of the traditional “inherit” (Revised Standard Version), since for English readers this would imply that someone has died, and in the context it would be the Lord! One may restructure as two coordinate clauses: “You will lead these people, and together you will occupy this land.”
I promised translates the verb “to vow, to swear,” that is, to make a solemn pledge which is strengthened by an oath; it validates the promise and makes it permanently binding. The reader may be helped if this verse is arranged somewhat chronologically. For example, “I promised this land to the ancestors of this people. So be determined and confident and lead the people to occupy the land.”
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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