Translation commentary on Tobit 14:7

In righteousness: “By doing what he demands” (Good News Translation) explains this phrase. Another model is “and obey him.” The whole sentence may then be expressed as “All these nations will praise [or, honor] the Eternal God by obeying him” or “All these nations will obey the commands of the Eternal God, and in this way will praise [or, honor] him.”

All the Israelites who are saved: “God will save all the people of Israel” (Good News Translation) is incorrect. These are Israelites who have survived the exile. So we may express this as “All the Israelites who return safely from the exile.” Both Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version begin a new paragraph with this sentence, and translators are urged to do the same.

Are truly mindful of God means “have been faithful to him” (Good News Translation) or “who are truly loyal to him” (Contemporary English Version).

Will be gathered together: In languages that do not have the passive, this may be rendered “God will gather [or, bring] them together.” The first part of this verse may then be expressed as follows:

• All these nations will honor the Eternal God by obeying him.
God will gather together all the Israelites who return safely from exile, who have been truly faithful to him, and bring them to Jerusalem. He will give them the land he once gave to Abraham, and they will live securely [or, safely] there forever.

Those who sincerely love God: This may be translated idiomatically as “those who love God with all their heart” or “… with their heart and soul” (Good News Translation).

Those who commit sin and injustice will vanish from all the earth means that these sinners will all die; so Good News Translation has “all sinners and evil people will be wiped off the face of the earth.” In languages that do not have the passive, God will be the agent, and this final clause may be rendered as “but God will completely destroy all sinners and evil people from the earth.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Tobit. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

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