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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 7:5

When he was utterly helpless, the king ordered them to take him to the fire, still breathing, and to fry him in a pan: Good News Bible‘s translation is gruesome here but well done; however, it may be difficult to translate. When he was utterly helpless may be expanded to “They did this, and when the young man was completely helpless.” This rendering makes it clear that the king’s orders in the previous verse were fulfilled. The clause still breathing may follow When he was utterly helpless by saying “They did this, and when the young man was totally helpless, but still alive.” The king ordered them to take him to the fire … and to fry him in a pan may be expressed as “the king told his men to take him and fry him in one of the pans” or “the king told his men, ‘Carry him over to the fire and fry him in one of the pans.’”

The smoke from the pan spread widely: The smoke came from the man’s burning flesh. Again, translators may feel the need to say that the order just given was carried out. If so, this clause may be rendered “They did this, and the smoke from the pan spread widely [or, went everywhere].”

But the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die nobly, saying: As the mother and brothers watched their loved one die, they tried to encourage each other, knowing that each of them would meet a similar fate. Good News Bible provides a good model here.

An alternative model for verses 3-5 is:

• 3 These words made the king so angry that he ordered his men to heat some huge pans and kettles until they were red hot, 4 and they did so. Then the king ordered the mother and the other brothers to watch as he had his men cut out the young man’s tongue, cut the hair and skin from off his head, and cut off his hands and feet. 5 They did this, and when the young man was completely helpless, but still alive, the king ordered his men, “Carry him over to the fire and fry him in one of the pans.” They did this, and the smoke from the pan went everywhere. Meanwhile, the other brothers and their mother encouraged each other, saying, “Let’s die bravely.

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.