Most High

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Ge’ez, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “he the completely glorified God”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
  • Palantla Chinantec: “the Big God Himself”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
  • Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Elhomwe: Mulluku Muullupalli or “God the Great” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa: Wammwambamwamba: A name of God. While this word is difficult to translate into English, its sense implies that God is highly above everything in his power and greatness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on 2 Esdras 5:34

And I said may be rendered “I replied” (Good News Bible) or “I answered” (Contemporary English Version).

No, my lord, but because of my grief I have spoken: Uriel challenged Ezra’s motivation for speaking to God as he had just done. Ezra defends himself by saying he spoke those words in grief. This sentence may be rendered “No, sir, that’s not the reason I said these things. I was so filled with sorrow [or, frustration] that I spoke like this.”

For every hour I suffer agonies of heart: Every hour may be translated “any time” or “whenever.” I suffer agonies of heart is literally “my kidneys torment me” (compare Psa 73.21), which refers to mental anguish that can produce physical pain. The Latin word for heart is literally “kidneys.” In many languages some other part of the body will be referred to when describing extreme anguish that is followed by bodily pain.

While I strive to understand the way of the Most High may be translated “while I try to understand the way God Most High works [or, does things].” For the Most High, see the comments on 2 Esd 3.3.

And to search out part of his judgment means Ezra is confounded by trying to consider even a fraction of God’s ways; he is not even trying to understand it all.

Alternative models for this verse are:

• “It’s not that, sir,” I said. “I talked like that because of my sorrow [or, frustration]. Whenever I try to understand the way God Most High works, or even part of what he does, I am in such anguish that I suffer actual pain.”

• I answered, “No, sir, that’s not the reason I said these things. I spoke like that because of….”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.