Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Chronicles 9:14:
Kupsabiny: “And the people of trading/merchants also paid gold to him. And all the rulers of Arabia and the leaders of all of Israel also paid to (him) gold and silver..” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Not only that, he also received tax from the merchants. The Arabian kings and the governors of the provinces of Israel paid taxes of gold and silver.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “not including the taxes from the business-men/merchants. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of Israel also give him gold and silver.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “That was in addition to the taxes paid to him by the merchants and traders. Also, the kings of Arabia and the governors of the districts in Israel brought gold and silver to Solomon.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, 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.”
Besides that which the traders and merchants brought is literally “apart from the men of the traders and merchants ones bringing.” Some translators consider the text so difficult that they follow ancient translations rather than the Masoretic Text; for example, Revised English Bible follows the ancient Syriac by saying “in addition to the tolls levied on merchants and on traders who imported goods” (similarly Good News Translation). Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text here, which is the more difficult reading, and suggests that the words “men of the traders and merchants” mean either “the agents of the traders and merchants” or “the men who are traders and merchants.” Revised Standard Version does not give a precise translation of the Masoretic Text, but it attempts to make sense of the Masoretic Text. Revised Standard Version continues the sentence begun in verse 13 here, but some may prefer to start a separate sentence at this point and express the meaning as New Living Translation has done, which says “This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders.”
And all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon: The governors of the land refers to “the governors of the Israelite districts” (Good News Translation, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) listed in 1 Kgs 4.7-19. However, Moffatt says “vassal-princes,” which seems to refer to non-Israelite rulers.
Most translations of this verse agree with the interpretation found in Revised Standard Version or Good News Translation. However, the Hebrew may be translated as follows: “in addition to the tolls levied on merchants and on traders who imported goods and on all the kings of Arabia and the regional governors who brought gold and silver to the king” (Revised English Bible alternative translation; similarly Moffatt).
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
9:14a not including the revenue from the merchants and traders.
That did not include the taxes on what the merchants and traders brought into the country. -or-
In addition to that, he collected from the people who bought and sold things.
9:14b And all the Arabian kings and governors of the land
And all the Arabian kings and the regional leaders -or-
Moreover, the kings ⌊of the towns⌋ of Arabia and the rulers of its other areas
9:14c also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
also brought gold and silver to Solomon. -or-
gave King Solomon gold and silver.
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