king

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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:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • 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 (Dinė) 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 26:19

At the beginning of this verse, David continues speaking in the third person in reference to himself and in addressing the king. But in the second sentence David switches to using the first person (me) when referring to himself, and second person (you) when addressing Saul. In most languages the first and second person will have to be used from the beginning (verse 18).

Stirred you up against me: while many English versions use the verb “incited,” the meaning may be better expressed in some language by using a causative verb such as “caused you to be angry with me” (New Century Version) or “made me your enemy.”

May he accept an offering: literally “may he smell an offering [or, sacrifice].” The rising smoke of sacrifices was considered to be a pleasing odor for God, who would then accept the offering.

Men: literally “the sons of a man.” This expression occurs elsewhere in the Old Testament and means simply “men” or “human beings.” It stands in contrast with the LORD, mentioned earlier in this verse.

Driven me out, that is, out of land of Israel. See also verse 20.

This day: as in verse 8 above, this may be better translated “tonight,” unless it is thought that the sun had risen by the time this exchange occurred. Or in the present context it may bear the meaning “from this time forward.” In a sense David had already been driven out for some time, so this day may also be understood in the broader sense of “at this time.” It is perhaps for this reason that Good News Translation leaves it implicit.

The heritage of the LORD: see the comment on 10.1, where the people themselves are the heritage. Here the heritage is the land of Israel (see also Psa 136.21-22). Moffatt renders this “for they have banished me this day from all contact with the Eternal’s own land.”

Go, serve other gods: Good News Translation (also Revised English Bible) restructures and does not keep these words as a direct quotation, since it is actually a quote within a quote. Other gods are, of course, the gods that non-Israelite people worship in their countries.

The last half of this verse is expressed as a hypothetical situation in New Jerusalem Bible: “since they have as effectively banished me today from sharing in Yahweh’s heritage as if they had said ‘Go and serve other gods!’ ” This translation seems to express the correct sense of the Hebrew in English.

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 .