In a Buddhist country or other places with a belief in reincarnation, the translator must be careful not to use the religious word. Other than that we had no trouble with "born again" in Japanese.
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Words Hard to Translate
- Thread starter John of Japan
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The Japanese 成人の日 is not quite the same concept as the Greek υἱοθεσία. The Japanese "Coming of Age Day" does not bestow any rights on the young person, but is only a day to congratulate them on turning twenty that year. On the other hand, the word we used in our Japanese NT does indicate the bestowing of the right of being an heir. Please see Post #94.
I quoted (in part) and addressed post #94.
Yes, the coming of age day celebrates obtaining adulthood, and the rights thereof including drinking and voting.
And yes, it is not an exact match, but refutes the idea that Japanese could not convey the idea.
And yes, the idea is bestowing of the right of being an adult heir.
It has absolutely nothing to do with becoming a family member, thus "adoption" conveys a mistaken idea.
Please try to address the topic, stop your bully-boy tactics. I am sick of those who say something obviously false and then change the subject.You're lecturing me on Japanese language and customs? I was a missionary there 33 years, you know. Just sayin'.
The term for "only begotten" has been controversial. It is the Greek word monogenes (μονογενής), as is well known. Modern English translations render with "only" or "unique" or something similar. If I had to, I would go with "unique"; I feel "only" is too weak. Jesus is uniquely the "only begotten" because He is the only Son of God who was physically born. We are sons of God also, but our birth as children of God is spiritual, not physical.
There was quite the furor when the RSV came out in 1952 with simply "only" for monogenes. That was the first version to be translated by liberals, and the immediate charge was that "only son" was a liberal rendering. However, in recent years some scholars have claimed that "only" is okay, based on the NT usage, and that the etymology of the word is not mono=only and genes=begotten. I won't try to set forth all the arguments here, but I'll just say we went traditional in our Japanese NT.
There was quite the furor when the RSV came out in 1952 with simply "only" for monogenes. That was the first version to be translated by liberals, and the immediate charge was that "only son" was a liberal rendering. However, in recent years some scholars have claimed that "only" is okay, based on the NT usage, and that the etymology of the word is not mono=only and genes=begotten. I won't try to set forth all the arguments here, but I'll just say we went traditional in our Japanese NT.
On the Greek word translated "adoption" in the KJV, huiothesia (υἱοθεσἰα):
"The term is used only for placing in sonship towards God and occurs only in Paul (including Eph.). The choice of the word shows already that the sonship is not regarded as a natural one but as a sonship conferred by God's act" (Theological Dictionary of the NT, vol. VIII, p. 399, by Gerhard Kittel & Gerhard Friedrich, trans. by Bromiley).
"adoption (of children),. lit. a legal t.t. [technical term--JoJ]; in our lit., i.e. in Paul, only in a transferred sense" (BAGD; A Greek-English Lexicon of the NT..., p. 833).
Many other sources could be given. Thus, our choice in Japanese, 養子, is therefore a very close match.
"The term is used only for placing in sonship towards God and occurs only in Paul (including Eph.). The choice of the word shows already that the sonship is not regarded as a natural one but as a sonship conferred by God's act" (Theological Dictionary of the NT, vol. VIII, p. 399, by Gerhard Kittel & Gerhard Friedrich, trans. by Bromiley).
"adoption (of children),. lit. a legal t.t. [technical term--JoJ]; in our lit., i.e. in Paul, only in a transferred sense" (BAGD; A Greek-English Lexicon of the NT..., p. 833).
Many other sources could be given. Thus, our choice in Japanese, 養子, is therefore a very close match.
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Sorry about this, folks, I just couldn't resist a little bit of baiting. Mea culpa.You're lecturing me on Japanese language and customs? What are your qualifications for that? Or is that your Gnostic thingy again? I was a missionary there 33 years, you know. Just sayin'.
Oh, wow, I expected you to continue to avoid discussion of coming of age and the meaning of the Greek word translated as "adoption." This translation choice is a mistranslation.Oh, wow, I got a good laugh out of that one. You do have a way with words. Thanks for the humor.
Would new life in Christ make sense?
Think biggest reason some do not like only begotten would be that to them seems to be implying that Jesus was somehow a created being!The term for "only begotten" has been controversial. It is the Greek word monogenes (μονογενής), as is well known. Modern English translations render with "only" or "unique" or something similar. If I had to, I would go with "unique"; I feel "only" is too weak. Jesus is uniquely the "only begotten" because He is the only Son of God who was physically born. We are sons of God also, but our birth as children of God is spiritual, not physical.
There was quite the furor when the RSV came out in 1952 with simply "only" for monogenes. That was the first version to be translated by liberals, and the immediate charge was that "only son" was a liberal rendering. However, in recent years some scholars have claimed that "only" is okay, based on the NT usage, and that the etymology of the word is not mono=only and genes=begotten. I won't try to set forth all the arguments here, but I'll just say we went traditional in our Japanese NT.
You can now fall upon your sword!Sorry about this, folks, I just couldn't resist a little bit of baiting. Mea culpa.
Noticed that you used prior BAGD, not into latest one? have read some see it as into being to PC!
Yes, many mistranslate yhiothesia as adoption, but the idea is bestowal of the rights of children upon adulthood or time promised. This future bestowal will occur when Christ returns, Romans 8:23.
Please stop posting your well known fallacies.
The Greek word translated "adoption as sons" does not refer to becoming a child of God, but rather the bestowal of the future promised benefits of being a child of God. Recall Romans 8:23?
Depends on the target language.
I don't want BDAG. It is a little PC, from what I've been told.
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