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. )

Honorary "are" construct denoting God (“say”)

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 are (され) 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, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

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

3rd person pronoun with high register (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 third person singular and plural pronoun (“he,” “she,” “it” and their various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. While it’s not uncommon to avoid pronouns altogether in Japanese, there are is a range of third person pronouns that can be used.

In these verses a number of them are used that pay particularly much respect to the referred person (or, in fact, God, as in Exodus 15:2), including kono kata (この方), sono kata (その方), and ano kata (あの方), meaning “this person,” “that person,” and “that person over there.” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also third person pronoun with exalted register.

Translation commentary on Luke 8:25

Exegesis:

pou hē pistis humōn ‘where (is) your faith.’ Most probably this question refers to the attitude of the disciples which was one of anxiety and not of trust in Jesus.

tis ara houtos estin hoti… ‘who then is this that he…’ The question expresses their astonishment. The clause which is introduced by hoti may indicate to what the astonished question refers, i.e. Jesus’ power over the winds and the water, or the reason for the astonishment. The former is preferable. For other questions of this type cf. 4.36; 5.21.

kai tois anemois epitassei kai tō hudati ‘he commands even the winds and the water,’ or ‘he commands the winds and the water,’ preferably the former. In that rendering the first kai is ascensive, the second connective.

kai hupakouousin autō ‘and (as a result) they obey him.’ hupakouō also 17.6.

Translation:

Them, i.e. the disciples, may have to be specified.

Where is your faith, or, ‘why do you not have faith,’ ‘why do you not trust (me)’; or, ‘apparently you do not have faith, or, do not trust (me).’ If an object has to be supplied a reference to Jesus (hence, ‘me’) seems to agree better with the question in v. 25b than a reference to God would do.

For marvelled cf. on “wondered” in 1.21; and for saying to one another see on 4.36.

Who then is this. The interrogative pronoun may have to be qualified. The force of the question has often to be specified by a modal or exclamatory particle or form expressing astonishment, e.g. ‘who may he be, do-you-suppose?’ (Bahasa Indonesia RC), ‘what man is this!’

The next clause is often better rendered as an independent statement, ‘He commands … and they obey (him),’ ‘He tells the winds … what to do and they do so, or, do what he says.’ For to obey cf. on 2.51.

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 8:25

8:25a

In Greek this verse begins by introducing what Jesus said to his disciples. See the note on “he asked his disciples” in this part of the verse. Introduce the verse in a natural way in your language.

Where is your faith?: In Greek the form of this question is literally “Where your faith?” There is no verb in the question. If you need to supply a verb such as “is” or “was,” use one that is natural in this context.

This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used it here to rebuke the disciples for their lack of faith. There are two ways that you could translate this:

• As a question. For example:

Where is/was your faith?

• As a statement. For example:

You should have had faith ⌊in me⌋.
-or-

⌊I am amazed that⌋ you did not have ⌊more⌋ faith in me!

faith: The word faith here refers to trust and confidence in Jesus. The disciples should have remained confident that Jesus would protect them during the storm. In some languages it may be necessary to translate faith as a verb and supply an object. For example:

Why do you not trust ⌊me⌋?
-or-

⌊I am amazed that you did not⌋ have confidence in ⌊me⌋.

See believe, Meaning 2, in the Glossary.

He asked: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible has translated He asked is literally “he said to them.” The Berean Standard Bible does not include the word “them.” Other translations (New International Version, Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004)) supply the term “his disciples” for clarity. Translate this in a natural way in your language.

In Greek, the phrase He asked occurs before Jesus’ question. The Berean Standard Bible has placed this phrase at the end of the quotation for the sake of English style. Place it where it is natural in your language.

8:25b

Frightened and amazed: In some languages it may be necessary to translate Frightened and amazed as verbs. For example:

They were afraid and they wondered

The disciples were afraid because of the great power that Jesus had just shown. Their question, “Who is this?” in 8:25c shows that they were in awe of Jesus. They did not fear that Jesus would harm them, but they were amazed that he could cause the winds and water to obey him. Consider how to express this type of fear and amazement in a natural way in your language.

8:25c–d

Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him: In Greek 8:25c–d is one long question. Another way to translate this is:

Who then is this, that he commands even wind and water, and they obey him? (Revised Standard Version)

This is a rhetorical question. It expresses amazement that Jesus had such great authority and power.

There are three ways to translate this rhetorical question:

• As a question. For example:

Who is this that commands even the wind and the water, and they obey him? (New Century Version)

• As a question and an exclamation. For example:

Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him! (NET Bible)

• As one or two exclamations:

See what a great and powerful man this is! He even commands the wind and water and they obey him!

even the winds and the water: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as even means “also.” The word even is an intensive form of “also” and is correct in this context. In addition to the amazing things the disciples had already seen Jesus do, they were amazed by the greatness of the miracle that he just did. Another way to translate this is:

⌊in addition to the great things he has done,⌋ he now commands the winds and the water and they obey him.

the winds: The Greek word for winds here is plural. In some languages it may be more natural to use a singular form. For example:

the wind (New Living Translation (2004))

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