addressing God

Translators of different languages have found different ways with what kind of formality God is addressed. The first example is from a language where God is always addressed distinctly formal whereas the second is one where the opposite choice was made.

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Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff.), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

In these verses, in which humans address God, the informal, familiar pronoun is used that communicates closeness.

Voinov notes that “in the Tuvan Bible, God is only addressed with the informal pronoun. No exceptions. An interesting thing about this is that I’ve heard new Tuvan believers praying with the formal form to God until they are corrected by other Christians who tell them that God is close to us so we should address him with the informal pronoun. As a result, the informal pronoun is the only one that is used in praying to God among the Tuvan church.”

In Gbaya, “a superior, whether father, uncle, or older brother, mother, aunt, or older sister, president, governor, or chief, is never addressed in the singular unless the speaker intends a deliberate insult. When addressing the superior face to face, the second person plural pronoun ɛ́nɛ́ or ‘you (pl.)’ is used, similar to the French usage of vous.

Accordingly, the translators of the current version of the Gbaya Bible chose to use the plural ɛ́nɛ́ to address God. There are a few exceptions. In Psalms 86:8, 97:9, and 138:1, God is addressed alongside other “gods,” and here the third person pronoun o is used to avoid confusion about who is being addressed. In several New Testament passages (Matthew 21:23, 26:68, 27:40, Mark 11:28, Luke 20:2, 23:37, as well as in Jesus’ interaction with Pilate and Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well) the less courteous form for Jesus is used to indicate ignorance of his position or mocking (source Philip Noss).

In Dutch and Western Frisian translations, however, God is always addressed with the formal pronoun.

See also female second person singular pronoun in Psalms.

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 29:12

Both riches and honor come from thee: The Hebrew noun translated honor may also mean “reputation” or “importance” in some contexts. In other contexts it may mean “riches” or “wealth.” Either reading makes sense in this context. If it means “wealth” here, then it is used as a synonym with the word translated riches. But the majority of versions take it in the sense of “honor” or “glory” (La Bible du Semeur). Instead of saying come from thee (literally “from before you”), some translators may find it more natural to restructure the whole clause by saying “You alone give riches and honor” or “You only are the source of riches and honor.” Compare “You are the source of wealth and honor” ( NET Bible).

And thou rulest over all may be rendered “You rule everything” (New Century Version, God’s Word) or “You have dominion over all” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

In thy hand are power and might: The expression In thy hand occurs twice in this verse. Both times it refers to God’s power. In some languages it will be better not to translate either one literally; for example, this clause may be translated “You are powerful and mighty.”

And in thy hand it is to make great and to give strength to all may be rendered “and it is in Your power to make anyone great and strong” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or simply “and you are able to make anyone great and strong” (Good News Translation; similarly American Bible). Revised English Bible says “yours it is to give power and strength to all.” New Century Version combines this clause with the previous one, saying “You have the power and strength to make anyone great and strong.”

Contemporary English Version has restructured this verse, connecting the idea of God’s reign with the previous verse as follows: “and you rule with strength and power. You make people rich and powerful and famous.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .