21The woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Your servant has listened to you; I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me.
The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Saul” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign that depicts “sword in chest” (referring to 1 Samuel 31:4 and 1 Chronicles 10:4) and also “self-centered.” (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 28:21:
Kupsabiny: “Then, that woman moved to where Saul had fallen. When she looked, she realized that Saul was extremely afraid. Then that woman told Saul that, ‘I have listened to you until I committed myself to do what you told me.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Then that woman, seeing that he was very troubled, said, " I even risked my life for you and obeyed what you told your maid servant [to do]."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The woman came-near to Saul. And when she saw that Saul (was) greatly afraid, she said, ‘Beloved/Highly-esteemed King, I have-obeyed your (sing.) command even-though I knew that my life (was) in danger.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “The woman saw that he was extremely worried/terrified. She said to him, ‘Listen to me! I have done what you requested me to do. I could be executed for doing that.” (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 are (され) 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, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.
Behold: the woman is calling Saul’s attention to what she is about to say.
Your handmaid has hearkened to you: if translated literally this may give the impression that the woman is talking about someone else. She is, however, using this indirect reference in speaking of herself to show her respect for Saul. Since the same idea is repeated at the end of the verse using first person singular pronouns, it may sound redundant to repeat it. The idea of politeness should, however, be conveyed in some way. Good News Translation does so with “Please, sir….”
Taken my life in my hand: see the comment on this same idiom in 19.5.
Hearkened to what you have said: that is, “obeyed your instructions.” See the comments at 25.35.
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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