how are the mighty fallen

The now commonly-used English idiom “how are the mighty fallen” (for the decline of someone or something that used to be very successful, powerful, and important) was first coined in 1611 in the King James Version/Authorized Version (spelled as how are the mightie fallen) in 2 Samuel 1:19. (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 263)

For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

complete verse (2 Samuel 11:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 11:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “But Uriah did not go home. He slept with the guards at the gate of the compound of the home of the king.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But Uriah did not go to his own home, he slept near the gate with the king’s gate guards.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But Uria did- not -go-home instead he slept there at the entrance/gate of the palace together-with the servants of his master David.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “But Uriah did not go home. Instead, he slept at the palace entrance with the king’s palace guards.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

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 Samuel 11:9

But: the transition word here shows that what happened is contrary to expectation. Although he had been given permission and was even encouraged to go home to be with his wife, he refused to do so. A contrasting conjunction like But or “However” (New Jerusalem Bible) will probably be required in most other languages.

The door of the king’s house: this was probably some sort of guard room in the outer court of the royal palace. Compare 1 Kgs 14.27-28.

The servants of his lord: the words his lord refer to King David and should probably be translated “the king” in most languages. The servants in this case are very likely the palace guards. The word all was perhaps not a part of the original text and may therefore be omitted in translation. Although this textual problem is not mentioned in Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, the word is omitted by New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New American Bible, Anchor Bible, and Anderson as well as by Good News Translation. New American Bible and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh have simply “the other officers.”

Good News Translation restructures this verse so that the part indicating that Uriah did not go down to his house is placed at the beginning of the verse. This may be a helpful model in some other languages.

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 .