In many, if not most of the languages in the Philippines, proper nouns, such as personal names, are tagged with a marker that signals their grammatical role within a sentence. For Tagalog and the Visayan languages , this typically includes si to mark the proper noun as the actor or subject (nominative case), ni to mark the proper noun as an owner (genitive case), and kay to mark the proper noun as as an indirect object, i.e. the one to or toward whom an action is directed (dative case). All of these also have plural forms — sina, nina and kina respectively — and unlike in the biblical languages or in English, the plural form has to be used when only a single proper name is mentioned but implicitly that proper name includes more than just one.
In this verse, where English translates “(pursue) David,” the Tagalog translation translates “sina David” because the context of the text makes clear that David was with his followers. (Source: Kermit Titrud and Steve Quakenbush)
The Hebrew that is transliterated as “Absalom” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the signs depicting “hair + caught” referring to 2 Samuel 18:9. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 17:1:
Kupsabiny: “Then Ahithophel told Absalom that, ‘Let me choose twelve thousand men, and then when it is night I follow after David.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Again Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me choose 12,000 men to pursue David tonight.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Now Ahitofel said to Absalom, ‘Allow me to choose 12,000 men to look for David tonight.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘Allow me to choose 12,000 men, and I will leave with them tonight to pursue David.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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 (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.
Moreover: the use of this transition word in English may give the impression that the Hebrew has something stronger than the common conjunction, but in reality that is all that is found in the text. The flow of the story, however, may require a transition word or expression showing that the advice quoted in verses 1-3 was something that Ahithophel said to Absalom soon after the events described at the end of chapter 16. But in some languages the absence of any transition marker will serve this purpose, as, for example, in New International Version and New Jerusalem Bible. New American Bible makes the transition by using the verbal expression “went on to say….” Some versions do not even make a paragraph break at this point (Anchor Bible, Anderson). And some (Contemporary English Version) place the new section heading at verse 4 rather than here.
Let me choose …: Ahithophel’s advice here actually includes a particle often used to introduce a petition or plea, but it is left untranslated in many English versions. Some, however, have rendered it “I pray you” (An American Translation), “please” (New American Bible and New American Standard Bible), or “now…” (King James Version and Goldman). New International Version, which is very similar to Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, has “I would choose…” and continues with this kind of verb form throughout the description of the proposed course of action. This sets the stage for the whole recommendation from this point through the end of verse 3. The translations in New International Version and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible imply that Ahithophel is suggesting what Absalom should do. The Hebrew, however, seems to mean that this is what Ahithophel wants to do.
Ahithophel’s plan includes an important element in military strategy, that of swiftness or surprise (tonight). The size of the fighting force proposed (twelve thousand men) is relatively small by comparison with what Hushai later suggests.
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.