drink

In Telugu different verbs for humans drinking (tāgu / తాగు) and animals drinking (cēḍu / చేడు) are required.

complete verse (2 Samuel 11:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 11:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “In the evening, David called him to go and both eat (together). He ate and drank until he was drunk. Even if it was like that, Uriah did not accept to return to his home. He went and slept again where the king’s guards were.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “David invited him to eat and drink, and he gave him much to drink, but in the evening he went out and passed the night sleeping his own mat with the king’s guards. He did not go home that day either.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “David invited him to eat and drink with him, and David made- him -drunk. But that night he still did- not -go-home instead he slept there again together-with the servants of David.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The next day, David invited him to a meal. So Uriah had a meal with David, and David made him drink a lot of wine so that he would get drunk, hoping that if he was drunk, he would sleep with his wife. But that night, Uriah again did not go home. Instead, he slept on his cot with the king’s servants.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

David

The name that is transliterated as “David” in English means “beloved.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying king and a sling (referring to 1 Samuel 17:49 and 2 Samuel 5:4). (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )


“Elizabeth” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

In German Sign Language it is only the sling. (See here ).


“David” in German Sign Language (source )

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

The (Protestant) Mandarin Chinese transliteration of “David” is 大卫 (衛) / Dàwèi which carries an additional meaning of “Great Protector.”

Click or tap here to see a short video clip about David (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: David .

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 11:13

The pronoun references in this verse are not completely clear in Revised Standard Version, but translators should ensure that their readers will understand that it was Uriah who ate in the presence of the king, that it was King David who got Uriah drunk, and that Uriah was the person who went out to lie on his couch. Languages have very different ways of indicating which person is being spoken of in a story, but whatever language features are available should be used to ensure that the readers know who is referred to by the various pronouns in this verse.

Invited him: Good News Translation supplies what the Hebrew and Revised Standard Version only imply, namely that Uriah was invited to the evening meal. This information may be required in some other languages.

He made him drunk: David was hoping that if Uriah became drunk he would return to his wife and have sex with her. This would conceal the guilt of David. Some languages may use a causative verb form to convey this idea. But others may have to say something like “gave him much wine to drink so that he became intoxicated.”

His couch: while this translates the same Hebrew term as in verse 2, it is a very general word that really means “something on which to lie down.” The fact that Uriah was a mere soldier while David was the king may justify a different translation of this word in the two contexts. However, many languages may have the same kind of general word that will easily apply to both cases.

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 .