request / beg (Japanese honorifics)

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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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The concept of “requesting” is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as o-negai (お願い), combining “request” (negai) with the respectful prefix o (お).

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

Honorary "rare" construct denoting God (“is/be present”)

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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, o-rare-ru (おられる) or “is/be present” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Luke 5:12

Exegesis:

kai egeneto ‘and it happened,’ cf. on 1.8.

en tō einai auton en mia tōn poleōn lit. ‘during his being in one of the towns,’ of Galilee presumably, articular accusative and infinitive. The numeral mia assumes the force of an indefinite article.

kai idou anēr plērēs lepras lit. ‘and behold, a man full of leprosy,’ hence “covered with leprosy” (An American Translation, New English Bible, Willibrord, Bible de Jérusalem and others), stronger than lepros alone (cf. 4.27). For kai idou cf. on 1.20. plērēs, cf. on 4.1. lepra.

kai idōn ton Iēsoun pesōn epi prosōpon edeēthē autou legōn lit. ‘and having seen Jesus, having fallen on his face he besought him saying.’ The two participles idōn and pesōn, both in the aorist, have a different function; idōn refers to an act which precedes everything that follows, pesōn epi prosōpon describes an act which is intimately connected with edeēthē ‘he besought,’ cf. “he prostrated himself in supplication … he said” (The Four Gospels – a New Translation).

deomai ‘to ask,’ ‘to beg,’ ‘to beseech,’ with following direct discourse, here introduced by legōn.

kurie ‘lord,’ cf. on v. 8.

ean thelēs “if only you will” (New English Bible).

katharisai ‘cleanse,’ cf. on 4.27.

Translation:

In one of the cities, or, ‘in a city there,’ ‘in a city of that region.’

Full of leprosy, or, ‘who had leprosy all over’ (Tagalog), ‘suffering badly from leprosy’ (Bahasa Indonesia). For leprosy cf. on “lepers” in 4.27.

He fell on his face, cf. on “he fell down at Jesus’ knees” in v. 8.

Besought, or, ‘begged,’ ‘asked insistently.’

Lord, see on 1.6 (d).

If you will, you can make me clean, or, ‘if (only) you want to make me clean, you have the power to make me clean, or, to do so.’ For to make clean see on “cleansed” in 4.27.

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 5:12

Section 5:12–16

Jesus healed a man with a dreaded skin disease

In this section, Jesus healed a man with a skin disease, and so Jesus’ fame spread in that region. As a result, crowds of people came to hear him teach and to be healed of diseases.

In Jesus’ time, having a skin disease made a person ceremonially or ritually “unclean.” This meant that a person with such a disease was not allowed to worship God with other people. This person had to live apart from healthy people, including his family.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Jesus made a man with a skin disease pure/clean
-or-
The Man With Leprosy (New International Version)
-or-
Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Jesus showed his power over a skin disease

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 8:1–4 and Mark 1:40–45.

Paragraph 5:12–13

5:12a

While: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as While is literally “and it happened.” This phrase introduces the beginning of a new story. Luke did not indicate when this story occurred. Introduce this event in a natural way in your language. For example:

One day (God’s Word)
-or-
When (New Century Version)
-or-
Once (Good News Translation)

Jesus was in one of the towns: The phrase one of the towns does not indicate the exact location of the town. Mark 1:38–40 indicates that it was one of the towns in Galilee. In some languages, it may be necessary to say something more precise. For example:

While Jesus was in one of the towns ⌊of/in that region⌋
-or-
While Jesus was in one of the towns ⌊of Galilee⌋

5:12b

a man came along who was covered with leprosy: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a man came along who was covered with leprosy is literally “and look, a man full of leprosy.” The phrase “and look” introduces the man with leprosy. It also draws attention to him as a person who will be important in the story. (“Look” is the same word that the Berean Standard Bible translates elsewhere as “behold” or “look” or “now.”) Introduce this man in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

There was a certain man there. He had leprosy over his whole body
-or-
there was a man covered with a serious skin disease (God’s Word)
-or-
Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy (New Living Translation (2004))

covered with leprosy: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as covered with leprosy is literally “full of leprosy.” This means that the disease was all over the man’s skin. He had probably had the disease for a long time. The disease was in an advanced and serious state.

leprosy: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as leprosy refers to several different skin diseases. Scholars disagree as to whether these diseases included modern-day leprosy (Hansen’s disease). They agree that in New Testament times the Greek word referred to dreaded skin diseases. People believed that these diseases were spread by contact with someone who had the disease. A person who had one of these diseases was also considered ritually unclean.

Some ways to translate this word are:

• Use a general phrase that describes the nature or significance of the disease. For example:

a dreaded skin disease (Good News Translation)
-or-
a serious skin disease (God’s Word)
-or-
a contagious skin disease

• Use a term that refers specifically to leprosy. For example:

leprosy
-or-
something like leprosy

A term that refers specifically to leprosy may be appropriate in areas where people are already familiar with the term “leprosy.”

5:12c

When he saw Jesus: This clause introduces the actions of this event. Use a natural way in your language to begin the main actions of an event. Some ways to translate this clause are:

When the man saw Jesus (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
As soon as he saw Jesus
-or-
Seeing Jesus

he fell facedown: The phrase he fell facedown means that the man knelt down and then lowered his face to the ground. He did this deliberately in order to show his humility and his great respect for Jesus. He did not fall by accident.

Some ways to translate this are:

he bowed with his face to the ground (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
he knelt down to the ground in front of Jesus (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
he ⌊got on his knees and⌋ bowed/prostrated himself with his face on the ground

5:12d

and begged Him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as begged means “to plead for” something. It emphasizes how much the speaker desires what he is asking for. The man with leprosy made an earnest request in a humble way.

Use the most natural way in your language to introduce what the man asked for. For example:

He begged Jesus (God’s Word)
-or-
begging to be healed (New Living Translation (2004))

Lord: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord is the same word that Simon used in 5:8c. Translate the word in the same way here.

See Lord, Context 3, in the Glossary for more information.

if You are willing, You can make me clean: When he said this, the man with leprosy showed that he believed that Jesus had the power to heal him. However, he did not know whether Jesus was willing to do it. This statement was a polite way for the man to ask Jesus to heal him.

In some languages, it may be necessary to make that request explicit. In some languages, it is more polite to request something by using a question form.

Some ways to translate this are:

If you are willing, you can make me clean, ⌊so will you please heal me?⌋
-or-
Please make me clean! ⌊I know⌋ you are able to do this if you want to!

You can make me clean: The phrase make me clean in this context means “make me ritually clean by healing me.” It does not refer to cleansing from physical dirt.

According to Jewish law, people with the skin disease called “leprosy” were ritually unclean or impure. They were not allowed to participate in public religious ceremonies or to worship God at the temple. They had to live away from other people who did not have this disease. When they were healed, they became ritually clean. Then they were allowed to come to the temple again and participate in community activities.

Here are several ways to translate the phrase make me clean:

• Translate both the idea of healing and the idea of causing the man to become ritually clean. Translate the ideas in a natural order in your language. For example:

you can heal me and make me ⌊ritually⌋ clean
-or-
you can heal me ⌊so that I will be⌋ ⌊ritually⌋ pure

• Translate only the idea of healing here. For example:

you have the power to make me well (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
you can heal me if you will (New Century Version)

• Translate only the idea of causing the man to be ritually clean. For example:

you can make me ⌊ritually⌋ clean

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