Japanese benefactives (meshite)

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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, meshite (召して) or “call” 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. )

humble form of "receive" (itadaku)

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 to do this is through the usage of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.

In these verses, itadaku (いただく), a respectful form of morau (もらう) or “receive” is used. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also receive (Japanese honorifics), humble form of “receive” (tamawaru) and humble form of “eat” (itadaku).

Translation commentary on Philippians 3:14

The verb rendered I run straight is the same verb translated I keep striving in verse 12. The word translated goal, found only here in the New Testament, is basically the mark on which one fixes his attention. In shooting, this is the target; in racing, it is the goal. If one finds if difficult to introduce the metaphor of “running straight toward the goal,” one may change this into a simile, for example, “So, as it were, I run straight toward the place where the race ends.”

The prepositional phrase “unto the prize” (American Standard Version) is best taken in the sense of “so that I may win the prize” (Bruce) or in order to win the prize. The prize in classical Greek refers to an award in games or contests. In the New Testament the word occurs only here and in 1 Cor 9.24; it is used to denote the reward for an achievement.

What Paul proceeds to say is literally “of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus.” This “upward calling of God” is to be understood as “God doing the calling.” The sense of the other genitive construction, “the prize of the upward calling,” is conditioned by the meaning of “the upward calling.” Some translations (including King James Version American Standard Version Moffatt La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée) take the adverb “upward” to mean “high” or “heavenly,” describing the quality of the calling (Heb 3.1). It is also possible that the reference is to God’s call to faith as a summons “upwards.” It appears, therefore, that the renderings of New English Bible and Good News Translation make better sense, that is, God’s call … to the life above (cf. 1 Thes 2.12). The phrase “the prize of the upward calling” is best taken as a genitive of apposition, meaning “the prize consists of” or the prize, which is…. One can be more explicit about the content of the prize by rendering “which is the life above to which God calls me…” (cf. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “This prize is new life, to which God has called me through Christ Jesus”). Life above is equivalent to “eternal life.” Through Christ Jesus makes it clear that “in Christ Jesus” is to be understood in an instrumental sense. God is the caller, and Christ is his agent.

In order to indicate clearly the nature of “the prize,” it may be necessary to make the final relative clause in this verse into a completely new sentence, for example, “The prize is God calling me through Christ Jesus.”

A literal translation of the life above might suggest merely “life in heaven.” But since it is more likely that a quality of life is intended, it may be better to use such a phrase as “eternal life,” “new life,” or “real life.”

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 3:14

3:14a

I press on: This is the same Greek word as Paul used in 3:12c. See note there. In terms of the race metaphor here, the phrase press on means to keep on running. Paul was comparing himself to a determined runner, going toward his goal and not looking back. What he meant was that he continued trying, to work hard to become more like Christ.

goal: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as goal means the “aim, end, object” of something. In the race metaphor, it refers to the finish line which each runner is trying to be the first to cross. But here Paul was probably referring to the thing he had been talking about in 3:10–13. His aim or goal was to become completely like Christ. This would include knowing him completely.

prize: A prize is a reward for winning a race or doing something well. The next note discusses what this prize was.

3:14b

of God’s heavenly calling: It is not clear how this clause connects back to “the prize” mentioned in 3:14a. There are two main possibilities:

(1) It identifies the prize. The prize was that God called Paul heavenwards to make him completely like Christ. For example:

the prize, which is God’s call…to the life above (Good News Translation)

(2) The prize that God called Paul heavenwards to receive. Paul did not identify the prize itself. (New International Version, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible)

The first interpretation fits the context better here. So it is recommended that you follow it (1).

heavenly: The Greek word here literally means “upwards.”

in Christ Jesus: God can call or invite people to be with him in heaven because of what Christ has done for them. So you could translate 3:14b as:

God calls me to heaven ⌊to be with him⌋ because of ⌊what⌋ Christ Jesus ⌊has done for me⌋.

General Comment on 3:14

In some languages it may be helpful to reorder this verse. One way to do this would be:

I continue trying hard until God calls me to heaven because of Christ Jesus. In doing this I am ⌊like a runner⌋ racing toward the finish line to receive a prize.

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