וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל אַל־יִפֹּ֥ל לֵב־אָדָ֖ם עָלָ֑יו עַבְדְּךָ֣ יֵלֵ֔ךְ וְנִלְחַ֖ם עִם־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֥י הַזֶּֽה׃
32David said to Saul, “Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
The Hebrew that is translated as “heart fail” in many English versions is translated into Anuak as “liver be startled (or: panicked).”
For other translations using the term “liver” in Anuak see here and see Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling.”
The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Saul” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign that depicts “sword in chest” (referring to 1 Samuel 31:4 and 1 Chronicles 10:4) and also “self-centered.” (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
“Saul” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España
The name that is transliterated as “David” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign signifying king and a sling (referring to 1 Samuel 17:49 and 2 Samuel 5:4). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff.)
“Elizabeth” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España
In German Sign Language it is only the sling. (See here ).
“David” in German Sign Language (source )
The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”
Let no man’s heart fail: literally “Let not the heart of anyone fall upon him.” The meaning of this idiom may have to be made clear in the receptor language. Compare New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, which says “Let no man’s courage fail him.” Contemporary English Version, translating more dynamically, says “this Philistine shouldn’t turn us into cowards.”
Your servant will go: David refers to himself as Saul’s servant, utilizing the customary Hebrew indirect reference. Good News Translation says “I will go” but maintains the attitude of subordination by introducing the words “Your Majesty.” In many languages a literal translation of your servant will make readers think that someone other than David would go to fight Goliath. Since this is not the case, the pronoun “I” is much more appropriate.
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 .