[Today’s English Version F.4; Revised Standard Version 10.7]

The statement is a very striking metaphor, literally “and the two dragons I am and Haman.” In Greek both the personal pronoun “I” and the verb “I am” are used for emphasis. The order of presentation is the speaker first and then the other person spoken about (so Anchor Bible “the two dragons represent me and Haman”; so also New American Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Following the custom in some cultures of mentioning oneself last, English and French translations reverse the order of reference from the Greek “me and Haman” to Haman and myself or “Haman and me” (so Bible en français courant and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). In cultures where this form of courtesy is not maintained, the Greek order should be kept. In some languages the plural first person pronoun will be used, since two of “us” are being spoken about, “we and Haman,” meaning “Haman and me.” In order to keep the emphasis of the Greek text, La Sainte Bible: La version Etablie par les moines de Maredsous says “Haman and me, there are the two dragons.”

Today’s English Version says that the two dragons “represent” Haman and Mordecai, though in the previous verse Today’s English Version does not say that the river “represents” Esther. In some languages it will be possible to use the verb “to be” as Revised Standard Version has done. In others it will be necessary to make a verb explicit as in Today’s English Version; for example, “the two dragons show me and Haman” or “the two dragons mean Haman and myself.” The translator will need to adopt a style that is appropriate and that can be maintained consistently. See Addition A.5 (11.6) for dragons.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on the Book of Esther — Deuterocanon: The Greek Text. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .