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

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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 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. )

Translation commentary on Matthew 18:3

As both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation indicate, this verse is a continuation of the sentence begun in verse 2. For many languages it will be advisable to begin a new sentence with verse 3.

Truly, I say to you translates the same expression used in 5.26, except that you is plural here. Its function is to place heavy emphasis upon the saying which follows.

Unless you turn and become like children does not refer to a return to the state of childhood in all its respects. As TOB’s footnote correctly indicates, the contrast is between the pretentious attitude of the disciples and the lack of pretension on the part of a child. Children are humble and unconcerned about status, whereas the disciples are each hoping for the highest position within the kingdom. Phillips translates “unless you change your whole outlook and become like little children”; Barclay is similar: “unless you change the whole direction of your lives….” In place of the negative form, a positive statement may be substituted: “You must completely change your attitude and….”

There are translators who have felt that they should make the basis of the simile like children explicit by using an expression such as “become humble like children are” or “become unpretentious the way children are.” However, if as we suggest above, turn is translated with an expression such as “change your lives,” then it is not necessary to fill out the comparison like this. “Unless you change and take the attitude a child has” can be sufficient.

Translators can use “a child” or children, whichever fits the context better.

You will never enter the kingdom of heaven may also require considerable restructuring. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “then you will never enter into God’s new world.” Other translations have said “then you will never become a part of God’s Kingdom” or “then you will never be one of the people under the rule of God.” By changing “unless” to “only if,” INCL is able to use a positive statement: “only if you change and become as children, can you become a part of God’s people.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .