self-referencing pronoun for king or queen

In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)

Translation commentary on 2 Maccabees 11:24

We have heard that the Jews do not consent to our father’s change to Greek customs: The writer is the king. So in a number of languages translators will want to keep the royal We and our. Good News Bible provides a helpful model for this clause. Another possibility is “I know that the Jews do not agree [or, want] to live like Greeks, which my father wanted them to do.”

But prefer their own way of living and ask that their own customs be allowed them may be expressed as “but they prefer their own way of life and have asked that I allow them to follow their own customs.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.