inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Num 20:18)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Adamawa Fulfulde translation uses the exclusive pronoun, excluding Moses.

complete verse (Numbers 20:18)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Numbers 20:18:

  • Kupsabiny: “But that king answered (them), ‘You shall certainly not pass through! I will fight you if you come,’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But Edom said to them,
    "You will not get to go by way of our land, otherwise we will take the sword and come to attack you."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But this is the answer of the king of Edom: ‘You (plur.) do- not -pass-by here in us (excl.). If you (plur.) pass-by, we (excl.) will-attack you and kill (you pl).’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But the king of Edom refused. He replied, ‘Stay out of my country! If you try to enter it, I will send my army to attack you!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

2nd person pronoun with low register (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 second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person.

In these verses, however, omae (おまえ) is used, a cruder second person pronoun, that Jesus for instance chooses when chiding his disciples. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also first person pronoun with low register and third person pronoun with low register.

Translation commentary on Numbers 20:18

But Edom said to him: Edom does not refer to the country as a whole, but to its people (so Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch with “the Edomites”) or to its king (so Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, Bible en français courant, Bijbel in Gewone Taal; see verse 14). However, there may be some significance that the king of Edom is not referred to explicitly after verse 14. It is as if Edom as an entire people/nation reacts negatively to Israel’s request for safe passage (verses 18-21). If Edom refers to the Edomites, then the pronoun him refers to the Israelites, not just Moses or his messengers.

You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you: The Hebrew pronouns for you and I are singular, so the nation of Edom speaks as an individual to Israel as an individual (so Sherwood, page 172). However, in many languages plural pronouns will be needed to avoid confusion or unnaturalness (so Good News Translation). You shall not pass through is literally “You [singular] shall not pass through me.” The Hebrew verb form here has the nuance of a strong prohibition; Edom’s response is abrupt and blunt. Bible en français courant says “You will not pass through my country!” Lest I come out with the sword refers to war (see the comments on 14.3), which Good News Translation makes clear by saying “If you try, we will march out and attack you.” Another possible model is “If you try to enter, we will come out to meet you with our army.”

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .