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 9:25:
Kupsabiny: “After that, Samuel and Saul descended from the place of burning sacrifice and went to Samuel’s home in that city. Accommodation for Saul was prepared in an upper room.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “They came down to the city from the place of worship, and Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “When they returned to the town/city from the place-of-worship at the high place, Samuel had-prepared something-to-lie-down-on for Saul there on the flat roof of his house,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “After they finished eating, they returned to the town. Then Samuel took Saul up to the flat roof of his house, and fixed a bed for him.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
A bed was spread for Saul upon the roof, and he lay down to sleep: both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation follow the Septuagint here (so also New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, and New Jerusalem Bible). After into the city the Masoretic Text ends verse 25 with these words: “and he [Samuel] spoke with Saul on the roof.” The Masoretic Text does not mention that a bed was prepared for Saul on the roof, or that Samuel slept inside the house and Saul slept on the roof (but see verse 26). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text, which is followed by New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, and Fox. New International Version renders verse 25 as follows: “After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house.”
Upon the roof: see note in Good News Translation; the same practice is alluded to in Deut 22.8; 2 Sam 16.22; and Pro 21.9. Since it is unthinkable to sleep on the roof of a house in many cultures, translators must take special care in rendering these words. While the original readers and hearers would have understood that the roof was flat, in other cultures this information may have to be supplied with a footnote.
If the reading a bed was spread … is retained, the passive may have to be made active. This may be done by saying “someone prepared a bed” or “they [indefinite] made a bed.”
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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