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)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 20:32:
Kupsabiny: “Jonathan asked his father that, ‘Father, why should David be killed? And what crime has he committed?’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Jonathan replied to his father, "Why must he be killed? What has he done?"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Jonatan asked, ‘Why must he die? What has- he -done?’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Jonathan asked his father, ‘Why should David be executed? What wrong has he done?’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Answered: literally “answered … and said.” Some languages may say in this context “responded by asking.”
Saul his father: Good News Translation omits these words in accordance with English style, since this information is already known.
The second of these questions may be taken as a rhetorical one meaning “He has done nothing wrong!” And in some languages the order of the two questions may sound better if reversed: “He has done nothing wrong. Why, then, do you want to kill him?”
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 .
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