17Then King Amaziah of Judah took counsel and sent to King Joash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look one another in the face.”
“Son of x, son of y” must be rendered as “son of x or grandson of y” in Tibetan or else it will sound like two different people. (Source: David Clark in Clark / Desnitsky 2009 , p. 21).
Note: The same translation solution is chosen in many contemporary English Bibles that emphasize easy readability, such as the Contemporary English Version, Common English Bible, Good News Translation, God’s Word, or New Living Translation.
The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 25:17:
Kupsabiny: “Then Amaziah who was king of Judah consulted with his people and sent his messengers to go to the king of Israel who was called Joash son of Jehoahaz who was a son of Jehu to go and tell him, ‘Come and let us meet!’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Amaziah king of Judah took counsel with his courtiers and sent to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, grandson of Jehu, to speak like this, "Come fight with me!"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “After King Amazia spoke to his advisers, he sent a message to the king of Israel who was Jehoash the child of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu. He challenged Jehoash that they would-fight-(each-other).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Some time later Amaziah, the king of Judah, consulted his advisors. Then he sent a message to Jehoash, the king of Israel. He wrote, ‘Come here and let’s talk together.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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:
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.”
Judah’s king Amaziah spoke with his advisers. -or-
After King Amaziah the king of Judah talked with his wise men
25:17b and sent word to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu.
Then he challenged King Jehoash the king of Israel who was Jehoahaz’s son and Jehu’s grandson. He sent this ⌊message⌋ to him: -or-
he confronted King Jehoash the king of Israel. Jehoash’s father was Jehoahaz, and Jehoahaz’ father was Jehu. He challenged King Jehoash saying
25:17c “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.
“Come here. Do you dare to fight me in battle?” -or-
that their armies should fight each other.
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