Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 24:9:
Kupsabiny: “After that, David called Saul that, ‘Why did you accept the words of people that I want to do bad things to you?” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “said to Saul, spoke like this, "Is it good to listen to people even if they say that I am about to harm you?"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Then David said to Saul, ‘Why do- you (sing.) -listen to the men who say-to/tell you (sing.) that I am-trying/attempting to-kill you (sing.)?” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then he said to Saul, ‘Why do you pay attention to people when they say ‘David wants to harm you’?/You should not pay attention to people when they say ‘David wants to harm you’.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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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 shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, katamuke-rare-ru (傾けられる) or “tilt” is used.
This verse contains a quotation within a quotation. Good News Translation turns the second quotation, the words of Saul’s soldiers, into indirect discourse once again, providing a helpful model for other languages.
The word translated men is very likely intended to refer to human beings in general and not just to males. So it is better to translate “people” as in Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version. Others may say less definitely “those who…” (La Bible du Semeur).
Seeks your hurt: that is, “seeks to do you harm” (New Revised Standard Version). Some other possible models are “[David] intends your ruin” (New Jerusalem Bible) and “[David] is your enemy” (Knox).
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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