20After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, King Neco of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 35:20:
Kupsabiny: “Later, when Josiah had completed preparing the matters of the Home of God, a king of Egypt who was called Necoh passed by the land of Judah. That king was on his way to Carchemish at the river Euphrates. Then, Josiah went to fight with that king.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “After King Josiah finished doing all this for the temple Neco, king of Egypt took his army and came to do battle at Carchemish City on the bank of the Euphrates River. Then Josiah went out to do battle with him.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “After these which Josia had-done for the temple, King Neco of Egipto led his soldiers to fight there at Carkemish, in the River of Eufrates. Josia and his soldiers went there to fight-against Neco.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “After Josiah had done all those things to restore the worship at the temple, King Neco of Egypt went with his army to attack Carchemish city alongside the Euphrates River, and Josiah marched with his army to fight against them.” (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.”
35:20a After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order,
After Josiah had restored the temple, -or-
King Josiah finished repairing the temple. Some time later
35:20b Neco king of Egypt marched up
Neco the king of Egypt came -or-
Egypt’s king called Neco went with his army
35:20c to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates,
to fight the king of Carchemish beside the Euphrates River. -or-
to attack the town of Carchemish. This town was by the River Euphrates.
35:20d and Josiah went out to confront him.
Josiah went out to fight against him. -or-
King Josiah took his army to fight against King Necho ⌊because King Necho was passing through the land of Judah⌋.
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