Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Judges 10:13:
Kupsabiny: “Even though it is like that, you abandoned me and worshipped those idols! So, I shall not save you again.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “But you abandoned me and worshiped other gods. So now I will not deliver you again.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “But you (plur.) turned-away from me and worshipped the other gods. Therefore now I will- no-longer -rescue you (plur.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “But now you have abandoned me again, and you have been worshiping other gods. So I will not rescue you again.” (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.
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).
Yet you have forsaken me is literally “And you, you have abandoned me,” a very emotional statement from the LORD (see verse 2.12). Yet appropriately renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, since there is a contrast here between Yahweh’s willingness to help the Israelites and their rejection of him. Other possible connectors are “But” (Good News Translation, New International Version) and “However.” The pronoun for you in Hebrew is emphatic. Possible models that keep this emphasis are “But it is you who have forsaken me” (New Jerusalem Bible) and “But as for you, you have abandoned me.”
And served other gods: See verse 2.11-12.
Therefore I will deliver you no more: Yahweh threatens to withdraw his help from his people because of their unfaithfulness. There is a note of bitterness and disappointment in the LORD’s words. The Hebrew conjunction for therefore (laken) is very emphatic. Good News Translation‘s “so” seems weak. We might say “Because of this.” I will deliver you no more is literally “I will not add to delivering you.” Translators should try to find an equally strong expression here. New International Version says “I will no longer save you,” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “No, I will not deliver you again.”
Translation models for this verse are:
• In spite of this you have abandoned me and worshiped other gods. For that reason I will not rescue you again.
• Despite what I did for you, you left me to serve other gods. Therefore I will never again save you from your enemies.
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 .
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