10So I stood over him and killed him, for I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 1:10:
Kupsabiny: “Then, I moved near him and I pierced/killed (him), because he was badly off and I knew he would not live. After I had pierced (him) to death, I removed the hat which was on his head and ring which he had put on his hand and I have come with (them) where you are, lord.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “So I went over and killed him, for he had become very weak, I knew that he could not survive now. So I took off the crown that was on his head and the arm-strap that was on his arm and brought them here to you my lord."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “So I went-near him and-killed-(him) because I knew that he would- no-longer -live due-to his severe wound. Then I took the crown from his head and the bracelet from his arm, and brought here to you, sir.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “So I went to him and killed him, because I knew that he was wounded very badly and would not continue to live/soon die. I took the crown that was on his head and the band/bracelet that was on his arm, and I have brought them to you.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Spanish uses a formal vs. informal second-person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Spanish Bibles all use only the informal second-person pronoun (tú), with the exception of Dios Habla Hoy (third edition: 1996) which also uses the formal pronoun (usted). In the referenced verses, the formal form is used.
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person. In these verses, however, the more venerable anata-sama (あなた様) is used, which combines anata with the with a formal title -sama.
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a third person singular and plural pronoun (“he,” “she,” “it” and their various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. While it’s not uncommon to avoid pronouns altogether in Japanese, there are is a range of third person pronouns that can be used. In these verses a number of them are used that pay particularly much respect to the referred person (or, in fact, God, as in Exodus 15:2), including kono kata (この方), sono kata (その方), and ano kata (あの方), meaning “this person,” “that person,” and “that person over there.”
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way to do this is through the usage of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, mairu (参る), a humble form of kuru (来る) or “come” is used.
Stood beside him: the vocabulary of verse 9 is repeated here to indicate that the soldier did as Saul had requested.
After he had fallen: see the comments on the use of this verb in verse 4 above. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has a footnote here which states that the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. This infinitive in Hebrew may be interpreted in two very different ways:
(1) It may mean literally “to fall on the ground.” This seems to be the intended sense of Revised Standard Version, and it is definitely the meaning of the Good News Translation translation. See also New Jerusalem Bible, “that once he fell he could not survive.” The translations in Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and New Jerusalem Bible (also Nueva Biblia Española) all understand the infinitive to mean that Saul had not yet fallen to the ground. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, however, says “for I knew that he would never rise from where he was lying.” Either interpretation is possible.
(2) As noted in verse 4, this verb sometimes means “to be wounded” or “to be killed in battle.” This extended meaning is the basis for the following translations: “for I knew that, stricken as he was, he could not live” (Revised English Bible), “for I knew that he could not survive his wound” (New American Bible,Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), and “for I knew that he would not survive after he had been severely wounded” (Anderson).
Crown: in many languages there is no specific word for crown. The term has to be rendered by “the headgear of the chief,” “the hat of kingship,” or something similar. The exact nature of the crown is not known. On the basis of archaeological evidence, some consider this to be an emblem worn on the forehead rather than a heavy crown set on top of the head.
Armlet: the Hebrew word so translated occurs only here and in Num 31.50, in the list of articles brought as gifts to the LORD. It was probably a kind of “arm chain” or a chainlike bracelet rather than a solid piece as the New International Version rendering, “band,” seems to indicate. Archaeological evidence suggests that this was worn on the upper arm.
My lord: the term of respect used here is the same as is sometimes used of God, but here it is clearly an indirect reference to David, to whom the Amalekite soldier is speaking. This indirect approach is also an indication of respect in the Old Testament, but in most languages today it will be more natural to use a direct reference as in Good News Translation. But note that, in addition to the pronoun “you,” Good News Translation adds “sir” to convey the idea of respect found in the original.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.