There have been three Church-approved translations of the Book of Mormon in the Japanese language:
Taylor’s translation (started in 1904;
completed in 1909)
Satō Tatsui’s translation (published May
30, 1957)
Current translation (mid-1980s)
Interestingly, for those interested in
sacramental theology, there are some important differences in the “essential formula”
(the wording that must be said for an ordinance/sacrament to be
confected), showing that the Church has allowed for some fluidity in the
essential form from one translation of the Book of Mormon in Japanese to
another:
Translations of
Sacrament Prayers on Bread
Taylor's Translation:
Eien no tempu naru
Kami yo,
Warera Onko Iesu
Kirisuto no mina ni yorite
negaitatematsuraku
wa,
Subete kono pan o
azukari kurau hitobito ga,
Onko no karanda no
kinen ni kore o kurau koto
o uru yō,
Mata tsuneni Onko no
mitama o onorera to
tomo ni arashimen
tame,
Onko no mina o amanji
ukete
Tsuneni Onko o kinen
shi,
Sono kudashitamaishi
imashime o mamoru o
Nanji ni seiyaku suru
koto o uru yō,
Kono pan o karera no
kokoro no tame ni
iwaikiyometamawan
koto o
Amen
Literal English
Meaning of Taylor's Translation:
O God, the Eternal Father,
That which we ask in
the name of Thy Son
Jesus Christ,
Is that all people
who receive and eat this bread
So that they may eat
in remembrance of Thy body,
And in order that the
Spirit of Thy Son may
always be with them,
Willingly taking upon
them the name of Thy Son
Always remembering
Thy Son,
So that they may take
upon themselves a covenant with Thee to obey
His commandments,
We pray Thou wilt
bless and sanctify this
bread for the benefit
of their hearts.
Amen
Satō's translation:
Eien no chichi naru
Kami yo, Warera Onko Iesu Kirisuto no mina ni yorite negaitatematsuru, Koko ni
kono pan o itadaku subete no hitobito ga, Onko no karada no kinen ni kore o
itadaku yō, Mata yorokobite Oko no mina o uke, Onko o tsuneni wasurezu, Mata
sono kudashitamaeru imashime o mamoru koto o Eien no chichi naru Kami no onmae
ni shōmei shi, Kakushite Onko no "Mitama" tsueni ichidō to tomo ni
mashimasu yō Kono pan o iwaikiyometamae. Amen.
Literal English
Meaning of Satō's Translation:
O God, the Eternal
Father, We humbly ask Thee in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, That all of
the people who partake here of his bread So that they may partake of it in
remembrance of the body of Thy Son, And gladly receive the name of Thy Son,
Never forgetting Him, And that they will keep the commandments which He has
given them, They witness before Thee, O God the Eternal Father, So that they
will always have the "Spirit" of Thy Son with them, We implore thee
to bless and sanctify this bread. Amen.
Current Translation:
Eien no chichi naur
Kami yo, Watashitachi wa Onko Iesu Kirisuto no mina ni yotte Anata ni
negaimotomemasu. Kono pan wo itadaku subete no hitobito ga, Onko no karada no
kinen ni kore o itadakery yō ni, meta susunde Onko no mina o uke, Itsumo Onko o
oboe, Onko ga ataete kudasatta imashime o mamoru koto o Eien no chichi naru
Kami yo, anata no shōmei shite, Itsumo Onko no mitama o ukerareru yō ni, Kono
pan o shukufuku shi, kiyomete kudasai. Amen.
Literal English
Meaning of Current Translation:
O God, the Eternal
Father, We ask You in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, That all of the people
who partake of this bread, So that they may partake of it in remembrance of the
body of Thy Son, And willingly taken upon them the name of Thy Son, Always
remembering Thy Son, To keep the commandments which Thy Son has given them, They
witness unto You, O God the Eternal Father, So that they may always receive Thy
Son's spirit, Please bless and sanctify this bread. Amen. (Van C. Gessel, “Languages
of the Lord: The Japanese Translations of the Book of Mormon,” in Reid L.
Neilson and Van C. Gessel, Taking the Gospel to the Japanese: 1901 to 2001
[Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 2006], 233-61, here, pp. 256-58)
On the topic of Eucharistic theology, be
sure to check out my book-length discussion of the topic:
(for those who want a PDF of this book for
free, you can email me at ScripturalMormonismATgmailDOTcom)
Further Reading