Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Judges 10:12:
Kupsabiny: “And again, the Sidonians, Amalekites and Midianites suppressed you. Did you not cry to me for help, and I saved you?” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Sidonians, Amalekites and Midianites gave [you] trouble, you begged me for help. What! Did I not deliver you from their hand?” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The LORD replied, ‘When the Egiptohanon, Amornon, Ammonhon, Filistinhon, Sidonhon, Amaleknon, and Maonhon made- you (plur.) -suffer, you (plur.) asked-for-help from me and I rescued you (plur.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “and the Sidon and Amalek and Maon people-groups were cruel to you, you cried out to me, and then I rescued you.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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 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.
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 formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).
In this verse the LORD mentions three other enemies from whom he delivered the Israelites. This long list emphasizes the LORD’s faithfulness to his people. It makes his criticism of them all the stronger. Despite the numerous times he delivered the Israelites, they continually fell back into sin.
The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you: The Sidonians refers to the people who lived in the city of Sidon (see verse 1.31; verse 10.6). Also renders the Hebrew waw conjunction. The Amalekites were the enemies of Israel who helped King Eglon of Moab (see verse 3.13). Though this verse is the only passage in the Bible that refers to the Maonites, Maon is mentioned in verse 2 Sam 23.24 as a desert region where David and his followers hid from Saul. The Septuagint has “Midian” here, which Revised English Bible follows by saying “the Midianites.” However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and most versions follow the Masoretic Text by saying “the Maonites.” Some versions put the alternative reading in a footnote (Contemporary English Version, New International Version). Oppressed does not render the same Hebrew verb used in verse 10.8, but rather the one used in verse 4.3 to describe the actions of Sisera against Israel (see comments there).
And you cried to me: And renders the Hebrew waw conjunction. Here it introduces the response of the Israelites to the oppression of their enemies, so it can be translated “So” or even “But.” The Hebrew verb rendered cried is different from the one used in verse 10.10, but it has the same meaning here. This clause may be rendered “and you called for help from me” or “so you pleaded with me to help you.”
And I delivered you out of their hand is a literal rendering of the Hebrew text. The LORD was always ready to rescue the Israelites when they asked for help. The conjunction and may be rendered “so” or “then.” For the Hebrew verb rendered delivered (yashaʿ), see verse 2.16, where it is translated “saved.” Another possible rendering is “rescued.” Since this verb is implied in the previous verse, some languages may prefer to combine 10.11-12 as in Contemporary English Version. For out of their hand, see verse 2.18.
A translation model for this verse is:
• The Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the people of Maon also oppressed you. But when you called to me for help, I saved you from them.
Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.