king

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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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 Maccabees 3:7

When Apollonius met the king, he told him of the money about which he had been informed: We are not told how long a time there was between the time Apollonius learned about the money from Simon and his meeting with the king. Probably there was occasion for regular meetings between the king and his governors, especially one so close to the capital at Antioch. In this case Apollonius could have told the king the next time he happened to see him. We do not have to think that Apollonius made a special trip. It may be helpful to identify the king as “King Seleucus.” He told him of the money about which he had been informed may be rendered “he told him about the money in the treasury of the Temple in Jerusalem.”

The king chose Heliodorus, who was in charge of his affairs, and sent him with commands to effect the removal of the aforesaid money: All we know about the background of Heliodorus is that he was an important government official whom the king could trust with large sums of money. Who was in charge of his affairs is rendered “his chief minister” by Good News Bible, New English Bible, and Revised English Bible, and “his highest official” by Contemporary English Version (compare 1Macc 3.32; 2Macc 10.11; 11.1; 13.2). However, since the Syrian Empire did not have a parliamentary system of government, it would be safer to say “an important official in his government” or “one of his important advisers.” And sent him with commands may be rendered “and ordered Heliodorus.” To effect the removal of the aforesaid money means simply to go get that money. So Good News Bible has “to get it for him,” and Contemporary English Version says “to bring it to him.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• When Apollonius met with King Seleucus, he told him about the money in the Temple treasury. So the king ordered Heliodorus, an important official in his government, to bring the money to him.

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.