3rd person pronoun with high 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 third person singular and plural pronoun (“he,” “she,” “it” and their various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. While it’s not uncommon to avoid pronouns altogether in Japanese, there are is a range of third person pronouns that can be used.

In these verses a number of them are used that pay particularly much respect to the referred person (or, in fact, God, as in Exodus 15:2), including kono kata (この方), sono kata (その方), and ano kata (あの方), meaning “this person,” “that person,” and “that person over there.” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also third person pronoun with exalted register.

Translation commentary on Revelation 1:17 – 1:18

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead: John’s reaction is like those of others in the Bible who were suddenly confronted by the presence of the Almighty; see Ezek 1.28; Dan 8.17; 10.9; Matt 17.6; Acts 26.14. The verb fell here does not mean that he collapsed to the ground in a dead faint, but that he prostrated himself at the feet of the glorified Christ, with forehead and body touching the ground in an act of worship and reverence, and lay there as though he were dead. Other ways of expressing fell are “bowed down low to the ground” or “spread myself flat on the ground.” At his feet in certain languages will be rendered as “near his feet,” “by his feet,” or even “in front of his feet” or “in front of him.”

As though dead may also be expressed as “without moving,” “as if I was dead,” or “completely rigid like a person who has died.”

Both with his gesture (he laid his right hand upon me) and with his words (Fear not), the resurrected and glorified Christ reassures John, commissions him to write (verse 19), and explains the meaning of the seven stars and the seven lampstands (verse 20). In some languages the clause he laid his right hand upon me will be rendered as “he stretched out his right hand and placed it on me.”

Fear not will often be expressed as “stop being afraid.” Fear is rendered idiomatically in many languages; for example, “heart (or, liver) trembles,” “liver shivers,” “heart (or, liver) falls,” or even “his heart came outside” (Chewa).

I am the first and the last: the meaning is the same as “I am the Alpha and the Omega” of verse 8.

The living one: this is also a divine title, and a translation may wish to make this explicit. It is used by the resurrected Christ, who had been raised from death and now lives forever. This phrase can also be expressed as “the one who has life” or “the one who gives life.”

I died, and behold I am alive for evermore: the meaning of the first statement, in this context, is better expressed by Good News Translation “I was dead” (also New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible).

Behold: this translates an interjection that calls attention to what follows (see 1.7); it occurs twenty-six times in this book. It is not represented by a verbal equivalent in various translations (thus Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, Revised English Bible). New Revised Standard Version has “and see,” which at least is not obsolete, as behold is. A translator must decide if a distinct word is necessary in order to emphasize what follows. I am alive for evermore can also be rendered as “I have life that never ends.” For the translation of the phrase for evermore, see the comments on 1.6, where the Greek for “for ever and ever” is the same expression as for evermore in this verse.

I have the keys of Death and Hades: keys are the symbol of authority, and by having been raised from death, the glorified Christ has the power over death and the world of the dead; he has the power to leave people in death or to open the gates of Hades (see Isa 38.10; Matt 16.18 [RSV footnote]) and let its inhabitants leave. This, of course, is a figure for the power to bring the dead to life. In some languages it will be possible to keep the symbol keys and say, for example, “I have the keys that give me the power to open the place where dead people are (or, the land of the dead) and bring them to life again.” In cultures where keys do not exist, one may say “the things that open or close doors” or “the power to open doors.” Death: in languages where one cannot talk about “power over death,” one may say “power to raise people from death” or “power to cause dead people to be alive again.” Hades (also 6.8; 20.13, 14) is the Greek equivalent of Sheol, the Hebrew word for the world of the dead, which was sometimes pictured as an underground city, whose locked gates prevented the dead from leaving. It should not be translated “hell,” that is, the place of punishment, which in the New Testament is called “Gehenna.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy has joined the two terms, “I have the keys of the kingdom of death,” which a translation may choose to imitate.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• I am the one who is the source of (or, who gives) life. I was dead, but now I am alive for all time to come. I have the keys that give me the power to open or close the place where dead people are (or, the land of the dead) and bring them to life again.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Translation commentary on Revelation 11:7

They have finished their testimony: this refers to their witness, the message given by God for them to proclaim.

The beast that ascends from the bottomless pit: for bottomless pit see 9.1. In chapters 13-20 two or perhaps three different beasts appear (mentioned some thirty-seven times), and in some passages it is difficult to tell which one is meant. Besides these various beasts there is also the dragon, who first appears in 12.3. The word translated beast means simply “animal” (see 6.8), and An American Translation and Phillips translate here “the animal,” which is a bit strange in English. A translator must find, if possible, a distinctive word for these creatures. Perhaps use can be made of words taken from legends or fairy tales, where fantastic animals are fairly common. Here something like “monster” or “wild beast,” or even “ogre,” may be appropriate. It is probable that this beast is the same one that appears in 13.1.

Will make war upon them and conquer them and kill them: in this context to make war is not quite natural; something like “will attack them” or “will fight them” is better. And for conquer the verb “defeat” is more natural here.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 1:17

Paragraph 1:17–18

1:17a

When I saw Him: The pronoun Him refers to Jesus here. Other ways to translate this clause are:

Seeing him ⌊standing there⌋
-or-
Immediately upon seeing him

I fell at His feet like a dead man: This clause indicates that John fell immediately, like a person would fall if he died suddenly. He was overwhelmed by what he saw. Other ways to translate this clause are:

I fell at his feet as if I were dead (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I fell at his feet as though I were dead (Revised English Bible)

1:17b

But: The Greek conjunction here is usually translated “and” (as in the New American Standard Bible). But there is some contrast between John throwing himself down and Jesus having compassion. The Berean Standard Bible therefore translates this as: But.

You should connect 1:17a–b in the way that is most natural in your language.

He placed His right hand on me: This action shows compassion and reassures John. Other ways to translate this clause are:

he laid his right hand upon me (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
he put his right hand on me (Contemporary English Version)

1:17c

I am the First and the Last: The title the First and the Last indicates that Jesus existed before all things and will exist after everything in this world ends. This title implies that he is therefore greater than anything and has authority over everything. This title is similar in meaning to the title “the Alpha and the Omega” (1:8a).

In some languages a literal translation would not have that meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Translate literally and explain its meaning in a footnote. For example:

The title “the First and the Last” indicates that Jesus existed before history began and will exist after it ends. He is therefore in authority over human history.

• Explain the title in your translation. For example:

I am the First and the Last ⌊existing eternally⌋
-or-
I am the One who is from the very beginning until the very end ⌊of time/history⌋

Translate this title in a different way from the title “the Alpha and the Omega,” because both titles appear in 22:13.

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