5David said to Jonathan, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at the meal, but let me go, so that I may hide in the field until the third evening.
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.)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
Once again, in the context of this conversation between Jonathan and David, the verb said may be translated more dynamically as “answered” or “responded.”
Tomorrow is the new moon: the Hebrew has no verb here. It is supplied by Revised Standard Version. But in many languages the whole first sentence of David’s reply will have to be turned around to say something like “the new moon will appear tomorrow night” or “people will celebrate the festival of the new moon tomorrow night.”
The new moon: the Israelites held a religious ceremony on the night of each new moon, that is, the night on which the crescent moon first became visible again. Regulations for this celebration are found in Num 28.11-15. The festival continued during the next twenty-four hours, and work was forbidden during this time (Amos 8.5).
I should not fail to sit: literally “to sit I will sit.” This may be rendered in some languages as “I am certainly expected to sit down” or “I am definitely invited.” Fox says “when I must sit, yes, sit beside the king to eat.” On the translation of Hebrew reinforcing verbs, see page 20.
At table: literally “to eat.” The literal reading will be a more natural way to translate in some languages.
But let me go: literally “and you have sent me away.” This seems to be a way of asking Jonathan’s consent to the plan of action being proposed. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “but you will let me go,” and New Jerusalem Bible reads “but you must let me go.” Good News Translation attempts to convey this idea of asking for approval by beginning this part of David’s speech with the words “if it’s all right with you, I will go.”
The field: see the comments on 19.3.
The third day at evening: literally “until the evening the third.” Good News Translation and New International Version render this in more natural English as “the evening of the day after tomorrow.” The Septuagint lacks the word third. New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Osty-Trinquet are based on the Septuagint, saying only “until evening” (see also verse 12).
Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament considers the word “the third” of the Masoretic Text to be a later addition, inserted here on the basis of verses 12 and 19. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament therefore gives a {C} rating to the Septuagint and recommends that it be followed here.
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 .
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 show different degree of politeness is through the choice of an imperative construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017.
In these verses, the honorific form kudasai (ください) reflects that the action is called for as a favor for the sake of the beneficiary. This polite kudasai imperative form is often translated as “please” in English. While English employs pure imperatives in most imperative constructions (“Do this!”), Japanese chooses the polite kudasai (“Do this, please.”).