The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Zechariah 8:15:
Kupsabiny: “And/But in a way like that, I have decided in these days to do something good to the city of Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So, do not fear.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “But now I have decided to do good again to Jerusalem and people of Judah. So do not be afraid. ” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “But now I have-decided to-be-good again to Jerusalem and Juda. So you (plur.) do-not be afraid.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “But now I will do something different. I am planning to do good things to the people of Jerusalem and other towns in Judah. So do not be afraid.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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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.
So again have I purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: So introduces the second half of the comparison begun in verse 14. Again represents what is a verb in Hebrew. New Jerusalem Bible links this with the verb purposed, and says “so now I have changed my mind and intend….” I have purposed may be expressed as “I have decided” (Beck, Contemporary English Version) or “I have made up my mind.” The words in these days really contrast with the time clause “when your fathers provoked me to wrath” in the previous verse, and the contrast may be brought out more clearly by placing this expression at the beginning of the verse as Good News Translation does with “But now….” To do good is a very general term, which is rendered by the general term “bless” in Good News Translation. In this context it means “make [or, cause to be] prosperous.”
To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah refers of course to people rather than places, and Good News Translation expresses this as “the people of Jerusalem and Judah.” In some languages it may be clearer to say “the people of Jerusalem and the rest of Judah.”
Fear not closes this half of the comparison, and indeed the whole complex structure that began in verse 9. It is similar in function to the same command in verse 13.
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• But now I am planning to make the people of Jerusalem and Judah [or, the rest of Judah] prosper again. So don’t be afraid.
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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