year of Jubilee

The Hebrew that is translated as “(year of) Jubilee” in English is translated in Kwere as mwaka wa kubweleza or “year of return.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Leviticus 25:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Leviticus 25:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “In this year of release, the possessions of/for every person are to be returned to (him).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “In this year of Jubilee all the people will repossess their family property.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “In this year, all the things/properties/possessions which were-sold to you (plur.) you (plur.) are-to- return to the owner.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘In that Year of Celebration, everyone must return to their own property.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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).

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

Translation commentary on Leviticus 25:13

Verses 13-16 further develop the theme of the “restoration” of lands (see verse 10).

Return to his property: see verse 10.

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 .