angel

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The Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic that is translated as “angel” in English versions is translated in many ways:

  • Pintupi-Luritja: ngaṉka ngurrara: “one who belongs in the sky” (source: Ken Hansen quoted in Steven 1984a, p. 116.)
  • Tetela, Kpelle, Balinese, and Mandarin Chinese: “heavenly messenger”
  • Shilluk / Igede: “spirit messenger”
  • Mashco Piro: “messenger of God”
  • Batak Toba: “envoy, messenger”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “holy servant” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida 1961; Igede: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Central Mazahua: “God’s worker” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.)
  • Saramaccan: basia u Masa Gaangadu köndë or “messenger from God’s country” (source: Jabini 2015, p. 86)
  • Mairasi: atatnyev nyaa or “sent-one” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “word bringer” (source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
  • Apali: “God’s one with talk from the head” (“basically God’s messenger since head refers to any leader’s talk”) (source: Martha Wade)
  • Michoacán Nahuatl: “clean helper of God” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Noongar: Hdjin-djin-kwabba or “spirit good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Wè Northern (Wɛɛ): Kea ‘a “sooa or “the Lord’s soldier” (also: “God’s soldier” or “his soldier”) (source: Drew Maust)
  • Iwaidja: “a man sent with a message” (Sam Freney explains the genesis of this term [in this article ): “For example, in Darwin last year, as we were working on a new translation of Luke 2:6–12 in Iwaidja, a Northern Territory language, the translators had written ‘angel’ as ‘a man with eagle wings’. Even before getting to the question of whether this was an accurate term (or one that imported some other information in), the word for ‘eagle’ started getting discussed. One of the translators had her teenage granddaughter with her, and this word didn’t mean anything to her at all. She’d never heard of it, as it was an archaic term that younger people didn’t use anymore. They ended up changing the translation of ‘angel’ to something like ‘a man sent with a message’, which is both more accurate and clear.”)

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 (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) is used as in mi-tsukai (御使い) or “messenger (of God).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also angel (Acts 12:15) and this devotion on YouVersion .

complete verse (Zechariah 3:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Zechariah 3:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “That angel said to the other angels who were standing in front of him, ‘Remove from Joshua these his dirty clothes.’ Then the angel said to Joshua, ‘See, I have washed away your sins from you and I shall give you clean clothes.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The angel said to those standing before him, "take off his dirty clothes,"
    and he said to Joshua, "see, I have removed your sin, and I will put costly robes on your body."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So the angel said to the other angels who (were) standing before/[lit. in front of] him, ‘[You (plur.)] take-off his filthy clothing.’ Then he said to Josue, ‘I have-taken-away now your (sing.) sins. Now, I will-clothe you (sing.) with new clothes.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The angel said to those other angels who were standing in front of him, ‘Take off his filthy clothes!’
    After they did that, the angel said to Joshua, ‘Look! I have taken away the guilt of your sins, and I will put beautiful clothes on you.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

1st person pronoun referring to God (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 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.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Zechariah 3:4

And the angel said to those who were standing before him: The angel is of course the angel of the LORD, as in verse 1. Those who were standing before him are lesser angels who have not been mentioned before. Several modern versions make their status clear by using the word “attendants” (Moffatt, Good News Translation, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh; compare New English Bible/ Revised English Bible “those in attendance on him”), and translators should follow these examples. Good News Translation goes further, and by using the expression “heavenly attendants” makes it clear that they were angels rather than human beings. Contemporary English Version is rather misleading when it says “some of the people,” and should not be followed in this. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch goes to the opposite extreme and actually uses the word “angels.” In other languages translators will need to decide for themselves whether this is necessary. Alternative translation models for “heavenly attendants” are “those angels who served him” or “those heavenly messengers who served him [or, accompanied him],” as in Bible en français courant and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente.

Remove the filthy garments from him: Remove here means “take off” (Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised English Bible, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) rather than “take away” (Good News Translation).

And to him he said: This is the first time the angel addresses Joshua directly. Good News Translation, New International Version, and Contemporary English Version use a more natural word order and include the priest’s name: “Then he said to Joshua” (similarly Revised English Bible, New Living Translation, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Biblen: Det Gamle og Det Nye Testamente).

Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you: The Hebrew word translated Behold is not the common term used in 1.8, 18; 2.1, 9. It is an imperative form of a verb meaning “to see” and carries somewhat more emphasis than the usual term. Accordingly, it would be better not to omit it as Good News Translation has. Other modern versions use “Look” (Jerusalem Bible) or “See” (Moffatt, New American Bible, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Beck, New Living Translation). Perhaps the most natural rendering of the clause is in New English Bible/ Revised English Bible: “See how I have taken away….”

Your iniquity: It was actually the dirty clothes that had been taken away. The angel’s comment here makes it clear that the clothes were a symbol of sin.

And I will clothe you with rich apparel: Instead of the filthy garments, Joshua is to be given rich apparel. The Hebrew word used here occurs elsewhere only in Isa 3.22, where it is translated “festal robes” in Revised Standard Version. Here Moffatt and Jerusalem Bible render “robes of state.” Good News Translation “new clothes” hardly sounds grand enough. Perhaps “splendid clothes” would be more appropriate, as in Biblen: Det Gamle og Det Nye Testamente. New English Bible and Revised English Bible use “fine vestments.” The word “vestment” is linked with priestly functions in English, but is not a common language term. If such a word is available in other languages, it could be appropriate here provided that it is well known. Translators may also say “I will have them put fine [or, beautiful] priestly clothes on you.”

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 .