obedience / obey

The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, and Greek that is translated in English typically as “obedience” or “obey” is translated in Tepeuxila Cuicatec as “thing hearing,” because “to hear is to obey.” (Source: Marjorie Davis in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 34ff. )

In Huba it is translated as hya nǝu nyacha: “follow (his) mouth.” (Source: David Frank in this blog post )

In Central Mazahua it is translated as “listen-obey” and in Huehuetla Tepehua as “believe-obey” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), and in Noongar as dwangka-don, lit. “hear do” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018).

See also disobedience.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 12:43

So he received him with honor: Good News Bible says “So he received Jonathan with all honors,” which is a good model.

And commended him to all his friends: Jonathan held the exalted title of King’s Friend, granted by Antiochus~VI (1Macc 11.57). It is not clear whether the reference here to Trypho’s friends indicates that he had already assumed authority as king and granted such titles to his supporters (so New English Bible and Revised English Bible by capitalizing “Friends”). Good News Bible is probably on safe ground by referring to these people as his “advisers.” This whole clause may be rendered “praised Jonathan before all his advisers” or even “bragged about Jonathan to all his trusted friends” (Contemporary English Version).

And he gave him gifts: Several times in the past Jonathan had shown himself willing to accept gifts and honors, and Trypho probably sensed this as his weakness (see 1Macc 10.20, 65, 89; 11.58).

And commanded his friends and his troops to obey him as they would himself: It will be helpful in a number of languages to put Trypho’s command into direct speech by saying “He said to his friends [or, advisers] and his soldiers, ‘Obey Jonathan’s orders, just as you obey mine.’”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.