The Hebrew that is translated as “Lord of hosts” in English (or: “Yahweh of Armies” [translation by John Goldingay, 2018], “Hashem, Master of Legions” [ArtScroll Tanach translation, 2011]) is translated in various ways: It’s translated as “God the Highest Ruler” in Kankanaey, as “Lord Almighty” in Newari, as Mndewa Imulungu or “Lord with all power” in Kutu (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext), as Wànjūnzhī Yēhéhuá (万军之耶和华) or “Jehovah of 10,000 [=all] armies” in Mandarin Chinese, as “Yawe God of the universe” in Mandinka, and in the German (Luther) Bible the second part of the name is transliterated: Herr Zebaoth or “Lord Zebaoth” (Swedish, Finnish and Latvian use the same translation strategy). The Russian Orthodox Synod translation uses a transliteration of the second part of the designation as well: Господь Саваоф / Gospod’ Savaof.
The traditional French translation of l’Eternel/Yahve/le Seigneur/Seigneur des armées (“Lord of the armies”) presents a problem when listened to, as Jean-Marc Babut explains (in The Bible Translator 1985, p. 411ff. ):
“For the hearer, the traditional translation l’Eternel/Yahvé/le Seigneur des armées can easily be taken in a bad sense: there is nothing, in fact, to prevent the listener from hearing l’Eternel désarmé, ‘the Eternal One disarmed’ or ‘stripped of his power’! (…). Thus the Bible en français courant [publ. 1997] has decided to use the expression Seigneur/Dieu de l’univers, “Lord/God of the Universe”. This formula, which has an undeniably liturgical ring, seems to have been favorably received by users.”
Other, later French Bibles who have chosen a similar strategy, include Parole de Vie (publ. 2017) with Seigneur de l’univers or Bible Segond 21 (publ. 2007) with l’Eternel, le maître de l’univers.
The now commonly-used English idiom “apple of one’s eye” (meaning to be a cherished person) was first coined in 1382 in the English translation by John Wycliffe (in the spelling apple of his iye) (source: Crystal 2010, p. 289). For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.
In Russian, the phrase хранить/беречъ как зеницу ока (khranit’/berech’ kak zenitsu oka) or “to keep/ guard as an apple of the eye” is also very widely-used with a whole range of meanings, much beyond just a cherished person. The wording of the quote originated in the Russian Synodal Bible (publ. 1876). (Source: Reznikov 2020, p. 5)
In the Contemporary Chichewa translation (2002/2016) it is translated with the idiom ngati mwanadiso which means “pupil of the eye” — a poetic expression which signifies something that is very delicate and valuable just as the eye pupil. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Zechariah 2:8:
Kupsabiny: “Any person who touches/suppresses the people of God, he has touched the eye of God. So, the God of authority has sent me to come and say about those communities who plundered my people for their things that,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “For the LORD Almighty has sent me on a glorious mission to the nations that plundered you, and this is what he says: "Anyone who injures you injures the very pupil of my eye.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “After I saw those visions, the LORD commanded/told me to speak against the nations who-attacked and took your (plur.) possessions. For whoever harms/strikes you (plur.) harms/strikes the-(one) being-loved by the LORD. And this (is) what the LORD Almighty said against those nations:” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “The armies of the nations that attacked you and took away your valuable possessions have attacked those who are very precious to the Commander of the armies of angels. So he says this about me: ‘After I have honored him and sent him to rebuke the nations,” (Source: Translation for Translators)
God transcends gender, but most languages are limited to grammatical gender expressed in pronouns. In the case of English, this is traditionally confined to “he” (or in the forms “his,” “him,” and “himself”), “she” (and “her,” “hers,” and “herself”), and “it” (and “its” and “itself”).
Modern Mandarin Chinese, however, offers another possibility. Here, the third-person singular pronoun is always pronounced the same (tā), but it is written differently according to its gender (他 is “he,” 她 is “she,” and 它/牠 is “it” and their respective derivative forms). In each of these characters, the first (or upper) part defines the gender (man, woman, or thing/animal), while the second element gives the clue to its pronunciation.
In 1930, after a full century with dozens of Chinese translations, Bible translator Wang Yuande (王元德) coined a new “godly” pronoun: 祂. Chinese readers immediately knew how to pronounce it: tā. But they also recognized that the first part of that character, signifying something spiritual, clarified that each person of the Trinity has no gender aside from being God.
While the most important Protestant and Catholic Chinese versions respectively have opted not to use 祂, some Bible translations do and it is widely used in hymnals and other Christian materials. Among the translations that use 祂 to refer to “God” were early versions of Lü Zhenzhong’s (呂振中) version (New Testament: 1946, complete Bible: 1970). R.P. Kramers (in The Bible Translator 1956, p. 152ff. ) explains why later versions of Lü’s translation did not continue with this practice: “This new way of writing ‘He,’ however, has created a minor problem of its own: must this polite form be used whenever Jesus is referred to? Lü follows the rule that, wherever Jesus is referred to as a human being, the normal tā (他) is written; where he is referred to as divine, especially after the ascension, the reverential tā (祂) is used.”
In that system one kind of pronoun is used for humans (male and female alike) and one for natural elements, non-liquid masses, and some spiritual entities (one other is used for large animals and another one for miscellaneous items). While in these languages the pronoun for spiritual entities used to be employed when referring to God, this has changed into the use of the human pronoun.
Lynell Zogbo (in The Bible Translator 1989, p. 401ff. ) explains in the following way: “From informal discussions with young Christians especially, it would appear that, at least for some people, the experience and/or concepts of Christianity are affecting the choice of pronoun for God. Some people explain that God is no longer ‘far away,’ but is somehow tangible and personal. For these speakers God has shifted over into the human category.”
In Kouya, God (the Father) and Jesus are referred to with the human pronoun ɔ, whereas the Holy Spirit is referred to with a non-human pronoun. (Northern Grebo and Western Krahn make a similar distinction.)
Eddie Arthur, a former Kouya Bible translation consultant, says the following: “We tried to insist that this shouldn’t happen, but the Kouya team members were insistent that the human pronoun for the Spirit would not work.”
In Burmese, the pronoun ko taw (ကိုယ်တော်) is used either as 2nd person (you) or 3rd person (he, him, his) reference. “This term clearly has its root in the religious language in Burmese. No ordinary persons are addressed or known by this pronoun because it is reserved for Buddhist monks, famous religious teachers, and in the case of Christianity, the Trinity.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 202ff. )
In Thai, the pronoun phra`ong (พระองค์) is used, a gender-neutral pronoun which must refer to a previously introduced royal or divine being. Similarly, in Northern Khmer, which is spoken in Thailand, “an honorific divine pronoun” is used for the pronoun referring to the persons of the Trinity (source: David Thomas in The Bible Translator 1993, p. 445 ). In Urak Lawoi’, another language spoken in Thailand, the translation often uses tuhat (ตูฮัด) — “God” — ”as a divine pronoun where Thai has phra’ong even though it’s actually a noun.” (Source for Thai and Urak Lawoi’: Stephen Pattemore)
The English “Contemporary Torah” addresses the question of God and gendered pronouns by mostly avoiding pronouns in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (unless God is referred to as “lord,” “father,” “king,” or “warrior”). It does that by either using passive constructs (“He gave us” vs. “we were given”), by using the adjective “divine” or by using “God” rather than a pronoun.
Some Protestant and Orthodox English Bibles use a referential capitalized spelling when referring to the persons of the Trinity with “He,” “His,” “Him,” or “Himself.” This includes for instance the New American Standard Bible or The Orthodox New Testament, but most translations do not. Two other languages where this is also done (in most Bible translations) are the closely related Indonesian and Malay. In both languages this follows the language usage according to the Qur’an, which in turn predicts that usage (see Soesilo in The Bible Translator 1991, p. 442ff. and The Bible Translator 1997, p. 433ff. ).
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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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.
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 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).
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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.
The occurrence of the conjunction For indicates that the verse is to be linked closely with the previous one, giving the reason for the command to leave Babylon. There are several problems in this verse. The first is to decide who is speaking. The formula thus said the LORD of hosts is a typical way of introducing a message from a prophet. Furthermore the words sent me suggest strongly that the prophet himself is the speaker. Translators are advised to accept this view, which is well expressed in Good News Translation “So the LORD Almighty sent me with this message….” Contemporary English Version is similar. For comments on LORD of hosts, see the notes on Hag 1.2.
After his glory sent me: Another problem occurs in this clause. After his glory translates two Hebrew words, literally “after glory.” These words have puzzled interpreters for a long time. There are many possible interpretations.
(1) Some scholars such as Amsler, Meyers & Meyers, and Redditt (1995) think that glory is just another way of referring to God himself. Revised Standard Version seems to take this view, as does Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (compare New Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible), indicating it by inserting the word his, which can refer back only to the LORD of hosts.
(2) Other scholars (Mitchell, Delcor) take his glory to refer to the vision of verses 1-5. The translation would then be “after the vision he sent me.”
(3) Others take the words to mean “with glory.” This view seems to underlie the Traduction œcuménique de la Bible rendering “he who sent me with authority.”
(4) Others (Baldwin, following Chary) translate “with insistence he sent me.”
(5) Others take the words as closely linked with those that follow and translate “He who sent me after glory” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh; compare Merrill).
(6) In New International Versionthe glory is taken as conferred upon the prophet, and the translation is “After he has honored me and sent me.”
(7) Some scholars (for example Jerusalem Bible, Thomas) wish to change two letters of the traditional Hebrew text and translate “he whose glory has sent me.”
(8) New English Bible and Revised English Bible take two letters of one word in the traditional Hebrew text in the opposite order and translate “he sent me on a glorious mission.” Bible en français courant and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente are similar.
(9) In Good News Translation, as the footnote shows, the two problem words are omitted.
(10) In Moffatt the two words are transferred to the end of verse 9 (“has sent me to proclaim his glory”).
(11) Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament takes glory in the sense of “treasure” (a sense it may also have in Hag 2.7 where Revised Standard Version has “splendor”), and translates “The LORD of hosts has declared this, he who, in order to obtain a treasure, sent me to the pagan peoples who plundered you….” This relates verse 8 to the plundering of the gentile nations in verse 9. No available version follows this proposal, though it has its attraction.
The above list is not exhaustive! With so many different views available, it is impossible to give firm guidance to translators. Probably the first of the choices listed above is best. As Meyers & Meyers point out, the word translated sent me occurs again in the following verse with “the LORD of hosts” as subject, and this increases the likelihood that the LORD is also the subject here. So it seems best to interpret glory to refer to the LORD himself. Translators could therefore render this as “after he by his power sent me” or “after the glorious LORD sent me” (compare Contemporary English Version “the glorious LORD All-Powerful ordered me to say”).
To the nations who plundered you: It is not certain whether to the nations is related to the verb sent (as the Revised Standard Version punctuation suggests) or to the verb said. This second suggestion seems more likely, and underlies the New Revised Standard Version “For thus said the LORD of hosts (after his glory sent me) regarding the nations that plundered you.” The nations refers primarily to the Babylonians. There is no need to suppose that Zechariah actually went to Babylon to deliver this message. Its primary purpose is to encourage the people of God, and they are the main audience. You is plural, and refers to the people of God, so Good News Translation makes this clear by saying “his people.” Plundered you is rendered in many languages as “took your possessions by force,” or more simply “raided and robbed…” (Contemporary English Version). Translators may also follow the model of Good News Translation and say, “took his people’s possessions by force.”
For he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: For translates a Hebrew word which can also mean “that” (introducing a direct quotation). See the discussion of the overall structure of the verse below. Touches in this context means “harms,” and you is again plural. Touches the apple of his eye is a reference to Deut 32.10 (compare Psa 17.8). The apple of the eye is probably the pupil, the part of the eye through which light passes. This is the most vital part, and the whole phrase thus means “what is most precious,” as Good News Translation puts it. The main problem here is to decide who his refers to. It may refer to God himself (Moffatt). The ancient Hebrew scribes had a tradition that the text here should read “my eye,” referring to God. Some modern translations follow this tradition (New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Good News Translation, Beck, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Biblen: Det Gamle og Det Nye Testamente); Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament says that the context favors the rendering “my eye.” The other possibility is that his refers to the person who touches you, that is, who harms the LORD’s people (New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The overall sense of the expression is not greatly different either way. In the first case, the meaning is “He who harms you harms what is precious to God” (The assumption is that therefore God will punish him, and this is made clearer in verse 9.) In the second case the meaning is “He who harms you, in effect harms what is precious to himself [and so hurts himself].” The first interpretation has more support, and makes somewhat better sense, so translators are recommended to follow it. If we accept that the eye is the eye of God, translators may say “his eye” or “my eye” according to the structure of the sentence in their language. Some languages will have expressions similar to the apple of his eye which have exactly the same meaning; for example, “iris of his eye” (Thai) and “the girl of the eye” (Spanish and Portuguese). Expressions such as these may be used in this verse.
Even when the details of the verse have been worked out, it remains difficult to be certain what the overall sentence structure is. Several modern translations take the words equivalent to after his glory sent me as an aside, and place them in round brackets (Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, New Revised Standard Version) or between dashes (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Some versions take the words equivalent to for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye as another aside (Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, New International Version). Most however take for in the sense of “that,” and treat the following words as part of the direct speech of the LORD (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Revised Standard Version, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Good News Translation transfers the words to the beginning of the verse and links them closely with the LORD’s words in verses 6 and 7. It is difficult to see any advantage in this and translators are not recommended to follow the example of Good News Translation.
Of the various modern English versions, New American Bible seems to offer the clearest wording in this verse: “For thus says the LORD of hosts (after he had already sent me) concerning the nations that have plundered you: Whoever touches you touches the apple of my eye.” We may put this into simpler language for an alternative translation model as follows:
• After the LORD Almighty had sent me by his power [or, glory], this is what he said about the nations who had plundered his people: “Anyone who harms my people harms what is most precious to me.”
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Zechariah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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