complete verse (Genesis 43:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 43:28:

  • Kankanaey: “‘Yes indeed, your (sing.) servant who is our (excl.) father, he is still strong (reassurance particle),’ they said answering while they again knelt-down to praise/honor him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They said — ‘Up to now your servant our father is still well.’ And once more, kneeling, they bowed down.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “They replied, ‘Father (is) still alive and he (is) still well.’ Then they knelt-down again to him as (a sign of) respect.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “One of them replied, ‘Yes, our father, who is willing to be your servant, is still alive, and he is well.’ Then again they bowed down in front of him.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 43:28

Your servant our father is … alive: the brothers refer to Jacob as Your servant and our father. In some languages this dual identification of one person may be confusing. In that case we may have to say “Our father who serves you” or “Our father who honors you.” In some languages is well … is still alive is very repetitive, and so it is restructured to say “is well; he has not died [yet].”

And they bowed their heads and made obeisance: the Hebrew expression is used for both bowing in worship and for bowing to pay respect to a person of superior rank. See Good News Translation.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .