complete verse (2 Samuel 13:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 13:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, Amnon pretended to be sick and went to lie down on his bed. King David went to check on his son. Then Amnon told his father that, ‘Father, I want my sister Tamar to come and bake for me two cakes here where I am, and she herself/alone gives me food.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So Amnon pretended to be ill and was lying down in bed. When the king came to see him, he said, "Please look, please let my sister Tamar come here, bake bread in before me and feed me with her own hands."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So Amnon laid-down and pretended-to-be-sick. When King David visited him, he said, ‘I would-like my sibling Tamar to come here and make bread at my side, and after-that she will-feed- me -by-hand.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So Amnon lay down, and pretended that he was sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, ‘I am sick; please allow my half-sister Tamar to come and make a couple scones/dumplings for me while I am watching, and then she can serve them to me.’” (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).

Japanese benefactives (-sete)

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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 (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kao (御顔) or “face (of God)” in the referenced verses.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 13:6

So: that is, as a result of what Jonadab had suggested, Amnon took the following course of action. The common Hebrew conjunction in this context should be translated in such a way as to show the relationship of cause and effect.

The words of Amnon are different in some ways from what Jonadab had suggested. But the main idea is the same.

Came to see him: that is, came to visit him in his own house. See the comments on verses 5 and 7.

Pray let …: the particle so translated is usually added to verbs in the imperative form to make a respectful request. In some languages it will be best translated “I beg you…,” or “If it please you…,” or “I would like…” (New International Version). In other cases it may be rendered simply “Please…” as in many modern English versions, including New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, as well as Good News Translation. Compare the same sort of structure in Ruth 2.7; 1 Sam 22.3; and 25.24.

A couple of cakes: this introduces an additional detail not in the original suggestion of Jonadab, but it does not change the overall plan. The number is literally “two” (New Century Version), but this is sometimes used to mean “a few” (Revised English Bible). New Jerusalem Bible captures the idea with “a cake or two.” New American Bible is more vague, with the word “some.” The word cakes has been the subject of much discussion by commentators. New American Bible speaks of “fried cakes” and Knox has “mouthfuls of gruel.” However, both Anchor Bible and Anderson use the English word “dumplings” and insist that the use of the word “cakes” is misleading. Since the Hebrew term is not used elsewhere in the Old Testament except for verses 8 and 10, it is difficult to be absolutely certain of its meaning. But it does seem reasonable that a person pretending to be sick would request something boiled rather than fried or baked.

In my sight: Amnon insists that the food preparation take place where he could witness it. This was a part of the plan to be alone with his half sister.

From her hand: Amnon insists on receiving the food directly from Tamar herself.

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 .