The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is transliterated as “Solomon” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “wise” referring to 1 Kings 3:12. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 9:28:
Kupsabiny: “Those people started the journey and went up to the country of Ophir and brought gold for Solomon which would reach fourteen thousand (14,000) kilograms.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “They went by ship to Ophir and from there they brought 16 tons of gold and gave it to King Solomon.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “They sailed to Ofir; and when they came-back they have-brought 15 tons of gold, and they brought them to King Solomon.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “They sailed to the Ophir region and brought back to Solomon about 16 tons of gold.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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.”
They went to Ophir: The very general term, went, may be translated “sailed” (Good News Translation, New Century Version, New International Version) in this context.
The location of Ophir is unknown, though probably it was somewhere in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula. It was clearly a large area or nation and not a city, as indicated by the translations “land of Ophir” (Good News Translation) and “country of Ophir” (Contemporary English Version). Ophir was famous for its gold (Job 28.16; Psa 45.9; Isa 13.12). In 10.11-12 more information is given about these ships that went to Ophir.
Four hundred and twenty talents: See the discussion on “talent” in verse 14. Many modern versions give literal translations of the Hebrew here (New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), but it will be better to give the equivalent amount of gold in the receptor language. The equivalent of four hundred and twenty talents is “about sixteen tons” (Good News Translation). The precise amount is uncertain, and for this reason other versions vary; for example, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “more than four tons” while Bible en français courant has “more than twelve tons.” Even if we consider the modern differences between the standard American ton and the metric ton, translations differ because scholars do not all agree on the weight of the talent.
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 .
9:28a They sailed to Ophir and imported gold from there—420 talents—
They sailed to the country of Ophir and came back with 420 talents ⌊(about thirty-two thousand pounds)⌋ of gold, -or-
These sailors went by ships to ⌊the land of⌋ Ophir. They carried back with them about fourteen thousand kilograms of gold
9:28b and delivered it to Solomon.
which they handed over to King Solomon. -or-
for King Solomon.
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