fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (1 Samuel 16:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 16:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “Call Jesse to come for that function/feast. There I will show you what you are to do. You have to anoint the person I will show.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “and ask Jesse also to take part in the sacrifice. Then I will tell you what it is that you need to do. Anoint for me as king only the one whom I will show you."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Invite Jesse to your (sing.) sacrifice/offering, and I will-instruct you (sing.) what you (sing.) are-to-do. I will-point to you (sing.) the man that I have-chosen to-become king. Then you (sing.) are-to-rub his head with oil.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “‘Invite Jesse to come to the sacrifice. When he comes, I will show you what you should do. And I will show you which of his sons I have chosen to be the king. Then you should anoint that one with the olive oil to be the king.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 16:3

Invite translates the Hebrew word that is elsewhere rendered “call” (as in the story of the calling of Samuel in chapter 3). It is also used in 6.2, where the Philistines summoned the priests and magicians.

Show you: this verb is literally “cause you to know.” It may be better rendered “inform you.” Some other renderings are “make known to you” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “tell you” (New American Bible), or “reveal to you” (New Jerusalem Bible).

Anoint: see the comments on 2.10.

For me: see the comments on “for myself” in verse 1 above. Here again the emphasis seems to be intentional, but Good News Translation again omits this element.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .