The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is translated as “justice” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a sign that describes the quality or principle of fairness, righteousness, and impartiality in treating other people. A literal back-translation of the signs are “FOLLOW(God is implied) ACTIONS, DECISIONS JUST-RIGHT”. A more idiomatic back-translation would be: “actions and decisions are right/fitting/just in accordance to God’s will.” The movement in the signs itself helps to indicate that this is a noun, not a verb. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Justice” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Micah 7:3:
Kupsabiny: “Those people are discussing about doing sin. Leaders and judges are asking for bribes the wealthy/powerful are forceful (dictators) and then justice/truth gets lost.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Everyone is expert in doing evil. Rulers and judges are asking for bribes Those who are in power give commands, as they desire. In this way they all are in agreement in their planning for doing evil.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “They are skilled in doing wicked-thing. The leaders and judges accept bribe. And they just follow what the famous and mighty people wanted. They unite in twisting justice.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
This verse has certain textual difficulties in the Hebrew. Some scholars feel it is incomplete as it stands (see Jerusalem Bible). But even if this is true, the general sense is fairly clear. Revised Standard Version understands this verse in essentially the same way as Good News Translation. The people are all experts at doing evil. Evil actions are the kind that they like to do, and that they do well. Those in the positions of authority, the officials and judges, do not do their work normally but ask for bribes. (Compare 3.9-11. Translation of “bribes” is discussed in 3.11.)
Justice is ignored, because the influential man tells those in authority what he wants, and so they scheme together to get it done. The phrase scheme together is literally “weave … together” (Revised Standard Version), and some translators may be able to retain this figurative use of “weave.” The influential man means “the important man” or “the man with power.” He would usually be a rich man, and in some languages it may be necessary to translate this way.
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. et al. A Handbook on Micah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1978, 1982, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
In this verse Micah continued to describe the evil behavior of the people of Israel. He gives three examples of corrupt people of influence: officials, judges and powerful people.
7:3a
Both hands are skilled at evil: This clause introduces the three examples of corrupt types of people in 3b–d.
The word hands has a figurative meaning of the use of power. That is probably the meaning here. The word skilled is literally “do well.” The full clause means that the people in each example were experts at using their power to do evil. They were clever and successful at it.
7:3b
the prince and the judge demand a bribe: This clause combines two examples. Both the prince and the judge ask for bribes. The phrases the prince and the judge refer to two classes/types of people. Their roles in society provided them with many opportunities to influence and manipulate people. In some languages it may be more natural to translate these phrases as plural forms. For example:
Officials and judges alike demand bribes. (New Living Translation (2004))
prince: In Hebrew, the word prince means “a leader in government, the military or religion.”
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
official (New Revised Standard Version) -or-
rulers (New Century Version)
judge: In Hebrew, the word judge is a person who makes decisions or arbitrates disagreements of various kinds.
bribe: See the note on “for a bribe” in 3:11a.
7:3c
When the powerful utters his evil desire: This clause gives the third example of an influential class/type of person. It may be more natural in some languages to translate the phrase the powerful with plural word forms. for example:
Powerful people dictate what they want. (God’s Word)
powerful: In Hebrew, this word means “great” or “distinguished.” In this context it probably refers to a rich person who was able to influence others.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
prominent men (NET Bible) -or-
people with influence (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
Rich people (New Century Version) -or-
the important man
utters his evil desire: In Hebrew, the word utters means “say,” “tell” or “command.” People with power could get what they want simply by telling someone that they want it.
The phrase his evil desire means more literally “mischief or lust of his soul.” It refers to the hurt or destruction or other kind of evil that the powerful person wants to happen so that he can attain his selfish goals.
Here are some ways to translate this clause part:
• Translate the action of speaking, and make explicit that the desire is for evil. For example:
the great man utters the evil desire of his soul (English Standard Version) -or-
The rich man makes his crookedplea (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
• Translate the end result. Leave implied the action of speaking and that the desire is for evil. For example:
The people with influence get what they want (New Living Translation (2004))
they all conspire together: In Hebrew, this clause is literally “he and they weave it.” Here this expression means that corrupt officials, judges and powerful people scheme together to give the powerful people what they want. The Hebrew expression “he and they weave it” leaves implicit that the evil scheming is unjust. Other translations of the clause make this aspect of meaning explicit. For example:
they pervert justice (New Revised Standard Version)
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
And they grant it. (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures) -or-
and they do what is necessary to satisfy them (NET Bible) -or-
they all conspire together (New International Version) -or-
So they scheme together. (God’s Word) -or-
and together they scheme to twist justice (New Living Translation (2004))
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