self-referencing pronoun for king or queen

In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)

complete verse (1 Samuel 23:22)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 23:22:

  • Kupsabiny: “Go back home and inquire where David is hiding from. Inquire properly whether their is anybody who has seen him there because I hear that man is very clever/devious.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Go again and ask properly, where he is, who has seen him there, check it, asking carefully. I have heard that he is very clever.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Alright, [you (plur.)] go-home and [you (plur.)] make-sure where he always goes and who has-seen him there, for I know that he (is) very good at scheming.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Go back and find out more about him. Find out exactly where he is staying, and find out who has seen him there. People tell me that he is very clever, so we need to be clever also to be able to capture him.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 23:22

The Hebrew also contains the particle of entreaty after the verb Go, but this is left untranslated in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. Contemporary English Version attempts to translate this by using the word “please.”

Make yet more sure: literally “prepare again.” New International Version tries to retain the basic idea of the verb by translating “make further preparation.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is quite similar, “prepare further.” But the context shows that the additional effort requested by Saul has to do with finding out exactly where David is hiding.

His haunt: literally “his foot” in the sense of “the trace of his foot.” Moffatt translates rather colorfully “the spot where his fleeting foot rests.” La Bible du Semeur translates “his movements,” while Revised English Bible says “exactly where he is.”

Who has seen him: some have considered the grammar of the Masoretic Text to be in error. Following the Septuagint, they have changed the two Hebrew words rendered who has seen him into one word meaning “in haste.” New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible omit these words, considering them to have been added accidentally to the Hebrew text. Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, gives a {C} rating to the MT.

It is told: literally “he tells me.” Others may translate “they tell me,” using the indefinite subject, or “people say.”

He is very cunning: literally “to be cunning, he is cunning.” Regarding the translation of reinforcing verbs, see page 20 and following. Languages have a wide variety of ways of representing the idea of craftiness expressed by the Hebrew verb used here. The term includes the notion of both prudence and deception. It is used elsewhere only in Psa 83.3 (“crafty plans”) and in Pro 15.5 and 19.25, where the idea of “prudence” is found in the Revised Standard Version translation.

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 .