king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 4:24

But he, when presented to the king, extolled him with an air of authority: The connector But indicates that Menelaus didn’t do what Jason had sent him to do. Translators should begin this verse with a contrastive connector. Contemporary English Version renders he, when presented to the king as “Menelaus was introduced to the king.” In languages that do not have the passive voice, translators may say “when they introduced Menelaus to the king.” Good News Bible has “when he stood before the king,” which is not really what the Greek text says. Extolled him with an air of authority raises a question. How does a person flatter a superior by acting important, by taking on an air of authority? Goldstein argues that it could really mean “extolled himself with an air of authority,” which is the reading of the Syriac. That does make sense, but it is hard to argue it from the Greek text we have. La Bible Pléiade translates “having dazzled him with his airs of importance,” but we may change this slightly to “impressed him by acting like he was an important person.” This is the approach Good News Bible takes with “impressed him with his show of authority.” We recommend this approach, and Good News Bible may serve as a model.

And secured the high priesthood for himself, outbidding Jason by three hundred talents of silver: Menelaus offered the king 300 talents more than Jason did (see verse 8). Since the king was willing to appoint as High Priest whoever offered the most money, Menelaus secured the high priesthood for himself, displacing Jason. Three hundred talents is equal to 10,200 kilograms or 22,500 pounds (see the comments on 1Macc 11.28). We suggest keeping the order of clauses here as in the Revised Standard Version by saying “and was able to buy the position of High Priest by offering the king 10,200 kilograms [or, 22,500 pounds] of silver more than Jason had offered.”

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.