priest

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Greek that are typically translated as “priest” in English (itself deriving from Latin “presbyter” — “elder”) is often translated with a consideration of existing religious traditions. (Click or tap for details)

Bratcher / Nida (1961) say this:

“However, rather than borrow local names for priests, some of which have unwanted connotations, a number of translations have employed descriptive phrases based on certain functions: (1) those describing a ceremonial activity: Pamona uses tadu, the priestess who recites the litanies in which she describes her journey to the upper or under-world to fetch life-spirit for sick people, animals or plants; Batak Toba uses the Arabic malim, ‘Muslim religious teacher;’ ‘one who presents man’s sacrifice to God’ (Bambara, Eastern Maninkakan), ‘one who presents sacrifices’ (Baoulé, Navajo (Dinė)), ‘one who takes the name of the sacrifice’ (Kpelle, and ‘to make a sacrifice go out’ (Hausa); (2) those describing an intermediary function: ‘one who speaks to God’ (Shipibo-Conibo) and ‘spokesman of the people before God’ (Tabasco Chontal).”

In Obolo it is translated as ogwu ngwugwa or “the one who offers sacrifice” (source: Enene Enene), in Mairasi as agam aevar nevwerai: “religious leader” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Ignaciano as “blesser, one who does ritual as a practice” (using a generic term rather than the otherwise common Spanish loan word sacerdote) (source: Willis Ott in Notes on Translation 88/1982, p. 18ff.), and in Noongar as yakin-kooranyi or “holy worker” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

For Guhu-Samane, Ernest Richert (in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. ) reports this: “The [local] cult of Poro used to be an all-encompassing religious system that essentially governed all areas of life. (…) For ‘priest’ the term ‘poro father’ would at first seem to be a natural choice. However, several priests of the old cult are still living. Although they no longer function primarily as priests of the old system they still have a substantial influence on the community, and there would be more than a chance that the unqualified term would (in some contexts particularly) be equated with the priest of the poro cult. We learned, then, that the poro fathers would sometimes be called ‘knife men’ in relation to their sacrificial work. The panel was pleased to apply this term to the Jewish priest, and the Christian community has adopted it fully. [Mark 1:44, for instance, now] reads: ‘You must definitely not tell any man of this. But you go show your body to the knife man and do what Moses said about a sacrifice concerning your being healed, and the cause (base of this) will be apparent.'”

For a revision of the 1968 version of the Bible in Khmer Joseph Hong (in: The Bible Translator 1996, 233ff. ) talks about a change in wording for this term:

​​Bau cha r (បូជា‌ចារ្យ) — The use of this new construction meaning “priest” is maintained to translate the Greek word hiereus. The term “mean sang (មាន សង្ឃ)” used in the old version actually means a “Buddhist monk,” and is felt to be theologically misleading. The Khmer considers the Buddhist monk as a “paddy field of merits,” a reserve of merits to be shared with other people. So a Khmer reader would find unthinkable that the mean sang in the Bible killed animals, the gravest sin for a Buddhist; and what a scandal it would be to say that a mean sang was married, had children, and drank wine.

See also idolatrous priests.

complete verse (1 Samuel 2:36)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 2:36:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then, everyone from your family will come to that priest begging for money and food pleading, ‘Please allow me to go and stay with (the) priests and then I shall get something to eat.’ ’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “All in your family who are [still] living, having come, having bent down before him for small piece of silver or a piece of bread, will have to make requests like this — "’Put me helper the priests so that I may have food to eat."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Those remaining of your (sing.) descendants will-plead to the descendants of this priest that they be-given money or food. They will-ask them to-make them as a helper priests so-that they can- just -eat.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “All of your descendants who remain alive will have to go to that priest and ask him to give them money and food, and they will each have to say, ‘Please allow me to help the other priests, in order that I may earn some money to buy some food.’’’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

David

The name that is transliterated as “David” in English means “beloved.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated 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 )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about David (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: David .

Japanese benefactives (-sete)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kao (御顔) or “face (of God)” in the referenced verses.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 2:36

This verse ends with a quotation within a quotation that is within another quotation. The man of God began speaking in verse 27. Then in verse 30, this prophet begins quoting the words of God; and finally in verse 36, God quotes what Eli’s descendants will say. In many languages it will be better to turn this direct quotation into an indirect quotation, as Good News Translation has done.

Only descendants of Zadok (see verse 35) will serve as priests in the temple in Jerusalem (see Ezek 44.15-16). All other descendants of Levi will be assigned to do menial work in the temple (see Ezek 44.10-14). The priests who come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread are those priests not descended from Zadok. At the time of Josiah’s reform, more than three and a half centuries after the time of Eli, these non-Zadokite priests were commanded to come to Jerusalem when the shrines in the cities of Judah where they served were destroyed (see 2 Kgs 23.8-9). The more common way of expressing the idea of the verb implore is “beg” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). But because it is an extremely strong term implying a physical gesture like kneeling, translators have seen the necessity of adding something else for emphasis: Revised English Bible says “bow humbly and…,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “on his knees.” And New American Bible shows the extent of submissiveness by using the verb “grovel.” This is the same Hebrew verb translated “to worship” in 1.3.

A piece of silver or a loaf of bread: as indicated in the Good News Translation rendering, these specific items represent “money and food.” In many languages it will be advisable to use the more general terms. The conjunction or between the two items may also be misleading. The Hebrew text has the common conjunction that is probably better translated “and” (Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, among other versions).

I pray you: these three words translate a single Hebrew particle of entreaty. This particle, which is often left untranslated, frequently expresses a weak appeal or petition to look with favor on a request. It may also express a sense of urgency and is often translated “please” or “pray.”

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 .