Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 1:4:
Kupsabiny: “The young girl was very beautiful. She used to stay with the king and would take care of him. But the king did not sleep with (have sexual intercourse with) that young girl.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “She was very beautiful. She took care of the king and served him. The king, however, did not have intercourse with her.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Abishag was very beautiful, and she became the one-who-takes-care of the king. But the king never touched/(had-sexual-relations-with) her.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “She was truly very beautiful. She took care of the king, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “serve,” “minister,” “walk with,” or “service” is translated in Igede as myị ẹrụ or “agree with message (of the one you’re serving).” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
In Quetzaltepec Mixe, “serve” is translated as “obey.” (Source: Robert Bascom)
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:
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.”
The maiden (see the comments on this noun in verse 2) was not only “beautiful,” as in verse 3, but she was very beautiful. If possible, the word used for “beautiful” in verse 3 should be qualified by an adverb meaning “exceptionally,” “indeed” or “truly” in this verse. Anchor Bible, for example, says “the girl was very beautiful indeed.”
She became the king’s nurse and ministered to him: As in verse 2, the Hebrew word translated nurse is a participle of a verb meaning “to be of service.” The verb ministered is sometimes used in the context of worship to mean “to minister” or “to serve” before God, but here the meaning is simply that she “waited upon” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “took care of” (Good News Translation) the king.
A literal translation of the final clause but the king knew her not may express the wrong meaning in many languages. Use of the verb “to know” is a common Hebrew idiom meaning “to have sexual intercourse with” (as in Gen 4.1; Jdg 19.25; Matt 1.25). Contemporary English Version says “But David did not have sex with her.” If a euphemism for sex exists in the receptor language, it may be used here. Compare the following English euphemisms: “but the king did not make love to her” (God’s Word), “… did not have relations with her” (Anchor Bible), and “… was not intimate with her” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). As noted in the introduction to this section, it is not clear whether the end of this verse should be understood to mean that David did not attempt to have any sexual relationship with Abishag or whether he tried but was unable. The Hebrew states simply that David did not have sex with her, without any further comment. But the reason for the statement may have been to show that it was time for a new king to replace King David.
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 .
1:4a The girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him,
This young woman was indeed very lovely/beautiful. She began to serve the king and take care of all his needs. -or-
The girl was truly/extremely pretty. She stayed with the king and began to look after him. -or-
⌊The king agreed that⌋ she should/could remain with him as his personal assistant/caregiver. She was certainly a lovely girl.
1:4b but he had no relations with her.
However, he did not have physical/intimate relations with her. -or-
The two of them never had a sexual relationship. -or-
However, he let her remain a virgin.
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