complete verse (1 Kings 1:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 1:16:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then Bathsheba bent to the king and knelt in front of him showing respect. Then the king asked her, ‘What is it that you want, my lady?’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Bathsheba bowed down and paid homage to the king. The king said,
    "What do you need?"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Batsheba knelt-down as respect to the king. The king asked her, ‘What can I do for you?’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Bathsheba bowed very low in front of the king, and the king asked her, ‘What do you want?’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on 1 Kings 1:16

Bathseba bowed and did obeisance to the king: Bowing with one’s face to the earth was a sign of great respect. Did obeisance translates a Hebrew verb meaning “to bow down deeply,” as in prostrating oneself before someone in an attitude of humility or worship. Bowing and doing obeisance are not intended to indicate two separate actions. Rather, the purpose of her bowing was to show her great respect for David. Instead of two verbs with the coordinating conjunction and, it will be better in many languages to say something like “bowed down in respect.” While such an action was common for other subjects of the king, it was unusual for his wife to do so. This extraordinary behavior probably made David realize immediately that his wife had an important request to make of him.

What do you desire? is literally “What to you?” Some other possible renderings are “What troubles you?” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “What is the matter?” (Anchor Bible), “What is it you want?” (New International Version), and “What is your request?” (Revised English Bible). In those languages where indirect discourse is preferred, Moffatt may serve as a useful model: “the king asked what she desired.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .