The Aramaic, Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated as “fast” in English is translated in Isthmus Mixe as “going without food to worship God,” in Lacandon as “leaving eating in order to talk to God” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.), in Vidunda as “resting to eat” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext), and in Kankanaey as “endure hunger” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation).
In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a sign referring to abstinence from food and drink. (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)
In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 12:23:
Kupsabiny: “And now, why should I make myself not eat when the child is dead, for I will not manage to bring back the life of the child. I will one day go to where he has gone, but he cannot come back this way where I am.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “But now if he is dead, why should I keep on fasting? What! Can I bring him back to life again? I will go to the place where he is, but he cannot come to my place."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “But now that he is dead already, why should- I -fast? Can- I -cause- him -to-be -alive? Some day when I die, I will-go to him, but now he can- no-longer -return to me.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “But now the baby is dead. So there is no reason for me to <fast/abstain from eating food> any more./why should I <fast/abstain from eating food> any more? Can I bring him back to me?/I certainly cannot bring him back to me! Some day I will go to where he is, but he will not return to me.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
But now: this marks a clear contrast between what David had wished would happen and what actually happened. Contrary to his hope the child had died.
The two questions in this verse are not asked in order to find information. Rather they are strong assertions. They can possibly be rendered in some languages as affirmations. The words why should I fast? may be better rendered in some languages by a statement like “there is no longer any reason for me to fast.” Can I bring him back again? may be expressed as “I cannot possibly make the baby live again.” If the rhetorical question is retained, some other ways of saying this are “Can I cause him to live again?” or “Can I do anything to make him come back to life?”
I shall go to him: the ancient Israelite notion was that everyone who died went to Sheol, the place of the dead (see the comments on 1 Sam 2.6, and compare also 2 Sam 22.6). David almost certainly had this concept in mind when he asked this question. He realized that sooner or later he would also die and go to the place of the dead, thus joining his son. Some may prefer to translate “I will follow him in death” or “I shall go someday to the place of the dead where he is now.”
He will not return to me: the negative future tense is intended to indicate the impossibility of the child’s returning to life and reinforces what has already been said. In many languages this will be more naturally expressed as “he cannot come back to me.”
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 .
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