The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “every day” in English is translated in Chichewa as “day and day.” (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
complete verse (2 Kings 25:30)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Kings 25:30:
- Kupsabiny: “The king of Babylon gave Jehoiakin some little money to assist him until he died of old age.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “And every day he was given an allowance for as long as he lived.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “And every day the king gave him his needs while he was alive.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “The king of Babylon also gave him money every day, so that he could buy the things that he needed. The king continued to do that until Jehoiachin died.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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:
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- 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 25:30
The awkward wording of Revised Standard Version reflects the Hebrew structure. But it will be unwise to imitate this in most other languages.
The Hebrew word translated allowance occurs infrequently in the Old Testament, but probably refers here to a monetary gift for his own personal needs as well as for the needs of his family and a small staff. In Pro 15.17, however, the same word is translated “dinner.”
The passive construction a regular allowance was given him by the king may be made active by saying something like “the king gave a regular allowance to him.” Compare “Jehoiachin received regularly from the king of Babylon…” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).
Every day a portion repeats the same idea contained in a regular allowance, but it adds the detail that the regularity was in fact daily.
One possible rendering of this final verse is:
• As long as Jehoiachin lived, the king of Babylonia gave him money for each day so that he could buy whatever he needed.
Others may prefer to break it down into two sentences as follows:
• The king of Babylonia paid Jehoiachin a portion of money each day in order that he might get all that he required for living. This continued for the rest of the life of Jehoiachin.
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 .
SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Kings 25:30
25:30a And the king provided Jehoiachin a daily portion
Each day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular supply ⌊of money/food⌋
-or-
The Babylonian king gave Jehoiachin daily support
25:30b for the rest of his life.
for the rest of his life.
-or-
all his life.

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