[Today’s English Version C.16; Revised Standard Version 14.5]

The words Ever since I was born are not to be taken literally. The sense is that expressed in Today’s English Version, “as long as I can remember.” The hyperbole of the original text may be kept in translation if it is correctly understood by the receptor culture. A possible model is “Since they gave birth to me, I have just been hearing always….”

In the tribe of my family is a literal translation of the Greek. Today’s English Version renders it in more natural English, “my family”; La Sainte Bible: La version Etablie par les moines de Maredsous says “in my family.” But the Greek expression makes it clear that Esther is speaking of more than her nuclear family. She is referring to the teaching of her heritage. Compare “I have been taught by my father’s family and tribe” (Revised English Bible) and “from the people of the land of my forefathers” (New American Bible).

The Greek says literally that the Lord “took Israel out of all the nations,” ethnē. The meaning is that God “chose Israel” (so New Jerusalem Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), a common theme in the Old Testament.

Our fathers from among all their ancestors: our fathers here refers not to Esther’s immediate ancestors but to the patriarchs. Although Today’s English Version omits the words from among all their ancestors, it adds the words “in ancient times” to make the meaning clear. In following the text the translator may consider expressions such as “our fathers from among all their grandfathers” or “our grandfathers from among all their first ancestry.”

On inheritance see comments on 13.15-16 (C.8-9). Here the inheritance is characterized by the word everlasting, that is, that will belong to God forever (Today’s English Version).

Thou didst do for them all that thou didst promise is literally “you did for them all that you said.” Translators should use idioms that will be natural in the context; for example, “everything that you gave your mouth over it.”

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 .