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. )

Japanese benefactives (akashi o shite)

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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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

Here, akashi o shite (証しをして) or “testify” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Philippians 1:8

In the Greek God is my witness that I tell you the truth is simply “God is my witness.” This expression is used by Paul to convey solemn intense, personal emotion (cf. Rom 1.9; 2 Cor 1.23; 1 Thes 2.5, 10). He appeals to God as the One who knows and who can testify to the truthfulness of his innermost feelings. It may be expressed in some instances as “God knows that what I say is true,” or “… this that I am going to say is true.”

Comes from the heart of Christ Jesus himself translates a Greek prepositional phrase, literally “with the entrails of Christ.” The entrails consist of the heart, liver, and lungs. In biblical times these were collectively regarded as the seat of feelings and affections, the equivalent of “heart” in modern usage. Paul identifies himself so closely with Christ that the deep feeling he has towards his Christian friends appears to be nothing other than the love of Christ himself (Jerusalem Bible “loving you as Christ Jesus loves you”).

The final clause of verse 8 may be very difficult to render, for it contains two metaphorical expressions, deep feeling and heart. Furthermore, it is impossible to say in some languages that “a feeling comes.” The meaning here is, of course, that the true source of Paul’s feelings is Christ. But the emphasis is upon the similarity of his affections to Christ’s, and therefore this clause may be rendered as “I love you in the same way that Christ Jesus himself loves you.” Or it may be possible to render this clause as “my love for you all results from the kind of love which Christ Jesus himself has shown.”

Quoted with permission from Luo, I-Jin. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Philippians 1:8

1:8

In the Greek this verse begins with a connecting word meaning “for.” The Berean Standard Bible does not translate this word, but if it is natural in your language, you may use such a connecting word here.

God is my witness: Paul used this phrase when there was no human witness, and especially when he was referring to his thoughts, feelings and attitudes. He meant that God was his witness and could verify that he was telling the truth. He said this five times in his letters when he was talking about how he felt, or when he was showing that he was dedicated to his Lord (also in Romans 1:9; 2 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:5, 2:10). You could translate the phrase God is my witness as “God will tell you” or simply as “God knows.” In some translations this phrase is at the end of the verse. See 1:8 in the Display.

I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus: Just as Jesus cared for the Philippians, so Paul cared for them. He cared so deeply for them that he strongly desired to be with them again.

I long for all of you: This refers mainly to Paul’s desire to see the Philippians again. He wanted to visit them again in order to help them grow in their faith, but this reason is probably not the focus here.

the affection of Christ Jesus: The Greek word splanchna, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as affection, literally means “insides of the body,” that is, heart, liver, lungs, kidneys. Greek people considered that these parts of the body were the source of emotions and feeling. They used splanchna to refer to their emotions, much as English-speaking people use the word “heart.”

The entire Greek phrase used here refers to the deep, sincere love that Jesus Christ had for other people. Christ gave Paul the ability to love others in the same way. Therefore, by saying, “I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus,” Paul was saying, “I long for all of you with the love that Jesus Christ has given me.” Another possible translations is:

I long for you because Christ Jesus has caused me to love you.

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