34Jonathan sprang up from the table in fierce anger and ate no food on the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David and because his father had disgraced him.
The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated as “anger” or similar in English in this verse is translated with a variety of solutions (Bratcher / Nida says: “Since anger has so many manifestations and seems to affect so many aspects of personality, it is not strange that expressions used to describe this emotional response are so varied”).
Chichewa: “have a burning heart” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation) (see also anger burned in him)
Citak: two different terms, one meaning “angry” and one meaning “offended,” both are actually descriptions of facial expressions. The former can be represented by an angry stretching of the eyes or by an angry frown. The latter is similarly expressed by an offended type of frown with one’s head lowered. (Source: Graham Ogden)
In Akan, a number of metaphors are used, most importantly abufuo, lit. “weedy chest” (the chest is seen as a container that contains the heart but can also metaphorically be filled with other fluids etc.), but also abufuhyeε lit. “hot/burning weedy chest” and anibereε, lit. “reddened eyes.” (Source: Gladys Nyarko Ansah in Kövecses / Benczes / Szelid 2024, p. 21ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 20:34:
Kupsabiny: “Jonathan became angry and he left without eating anything. It pained him very much because his father talked ill of David and also shamed/insulted him.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Then Jonathan, being very angry, got up from the table. That day he didn’t eat anything this was the second day of the festival because he was very distressed for David and because his father had disgraced David.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Jonatan left from the table in anger, and he did-not eat that day, because his feelings were- very -hurt at the shameful treatment of his father to David.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Jonathan was very angry, and he left the room. On that second day of the festival, he refused to eat anything. He was disgusted about what his father had done, and he was worried about David.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Rose from the table: while the traditional Hebrew text has the common verb meaning “to get up,” evidence from Qumran and the Septuagint suggests a much stronger verb, one that would fit the context quite well. It has been translated “sprang up” (New American Bible, Anchor Bible) and “jumped up” (Klein). Contextual translation may require something like this, even if the textual evidence favors rose.
Food: literally “bread” (see verse 24).
The second day of the month: that is, the second day of the celebration of the appearance of the new moon. Good News Translation makes this implied information more explicit by referring directly to “the New Moon Festival.” See the comments on verse 5.
He was grieved for David: the wording of Revised Standard Version is awkward. While the Hebrew is passive in form, the meaning is that Jonathan was “upset about David” (New Jerusalem Bible).
Disgraced him: the pronoun more than likely refers to David, although it could possibly point to Jonathan himself. New International Version is probably correct in translating “at his father’s shameful treatment of David.”
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 .
1Sam 20.35-42
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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