complete verse (Leviticus 23:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 23:21:

  • Kupsabiny: “On that day it is a must that this day be proclaimed to be for prayer and you do not do any work. This commandment goes/continues for you until descendants.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “On that day everyone, without doing any regular work, there is to be a sacred assembly. This is a law for you to follow forever from generation to generation wherever you live.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Also on the-same day [you (plur.)] do- not -work but-instead [you (plur.)] gather to worship the LORD. You (plur.) and your (plur.) descendants until generations to come must obey these regulations/[lit. what-is-to-be-followed], wherever you (plur.) live.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “On that day, you must stop your regular work and gather to worship me. You must always obey those instructions/commands, and you must obey them wherever you live.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (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 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).

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

Translation commentary on Leviticus 23:21

Make proclamation: the Revised Standard Version rendering may be misleading. The idea here is better communicated by New Jerusalem Bible “hold a celebration,” or New Jerusalem Bible “hold an assembly.” It is practically synonymous with the expression hold a holy convocation, which follows.

Holy convocation: this is an assembly of people specifically for worship (see verse 3). It further defines the “celebration” mentioned in the previous phrase. Perhaps the two together may be translated something like “an announcement must be made and people must gather for worship.”

Laborious work: see verses 7 and 8.

A statute for ever: see verse 14 as well as 3.17 and 10.9.

In all your dwellings throughout your generations: compare verse 14, where the order of these two phrases is reversed. There seems to be no significance in the reversal of the order. Whichever is natural in the receptor language should be used here.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .