The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “messenger” in English is translated in Noongar as moort yana-waangki or “person walk-talk” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).
Hezekiah
The Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that is transliterated as “Hezekiah” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs for “king” and “facing the wall” referring to Isaiah 38:2. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
“Hezekiah” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España
In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that signifies a model, a parameter for his life, referring to “he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his ancestor David had done” of 2 Kings 18:3. (Source: Missão Kophós )
“Hezekiah” in Libras (source )
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Hezekiah (source: Bible Lands 2012)
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Hezekiah .
king
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:
(Click or tap here to see details)
- Piro: “a great one”
- Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
- Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
- Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
- Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
- Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
- 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.”
(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )
See also king (Japanese honorifics).
Translation commentary on 2 Kings 19:9
The king heard is literally “he heard.” The vast majority of modern English versions translate the pronoun “he” with a noun phrase like “the king” or the proper name of the king. Bible en français courant has “the king of Assyria was informed,” while New International Version translates “Sennacherib received a report.”
Tirhakah king of Ethiopia: Ethiopia is literally “Cush” (so Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). Early editions of Good News Translation had “Sudan.” As the Good News Translation footnote indicates, the Hebrew term on which these translations are based is “Cush.” This was an area to the south of Egypt which covered parts of both modern states known as Ethiopia and Sudan. “Cush” should probably not be translated Sudan or Ethiopia since neither modern state corresponds precisely to the geography of the Old Testament. Many modern versions transliterate the term “Cush.” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible have “Nubia.” Either of these solutions has the advantage of avoiding the controversy over choosing one of the two modern African nations and will also probably be more accurate.
The problem here is further complicated by the fact that Tirhakah is known to be the name of a king of Egypt who ruled about 690–664 B.C., during the so-called “Ethiopian dynasty.” Non-biblical sources tell of King Sennacherib’s encounter with Egyptian forces on the Plain of Eltekeh, and many scholars believe that this confirms the biblical account. In any case, the meaning seems to be that the ruler in question was of Cushite (“Ethiopian”) origin, but was actually ruler over Egypt. This explains why New International Version and New Century Version translate “Tirhakah, the Cushite king of Egypt” and why Good News Translation speaks of “the Egyptian army, led by King Tirhakah of Ethiopia.”
Behold, he has set out to fight against you: Once again the Hebrew focusing particle rendered Behold serves to call special attention to the words that follow. See the comments on verse 7. In certain languages it will be much more natural to make the direct quotation here indirect as in Good News Translation.
He sent messengers again to Hezekiah: The words he sent … again are literally “he returned and he sent.” This Hebrew idiom means “he sent again.” It is also possible, but not likely, that each verb has its own meaning, that is, the king returned to his own land (in fulfillment of verse 7) and then he sent a message.
The Assyrian king sent messengers with a letter or a written note of some kind. This becomes evident in verse 14 where the text speaks of “the letter.” In some languages it may be necessary at this point to introduce the notion that a written message was involved. Contemporary English Version does this by translating the last part of this verse as follows: “Then the king of Assyria sent some messengers with this note for Hezekiah.” The actual content of the note then follows in verses 10-13.
There is a slight difference in the wording between this verse and the parallel account in Isa 37.9, where the words Behold and again do not appear. Isaiah also has two separate sentences, but the writer of 2 Kings has a temporal clause and a main clause.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.