belt

The Hebrew that is translated as “belt” is translated in the Hausa Common Language Bible as “belt of honor.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

complete verse (2 Samuel 18:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 18:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “(Then) Joab replied that person that, ‘Why did you not kill him? If you had killed him I would have rewarded you with ten silvers and dressed you with a belt of honor.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Joab said to the one who had come to tell him this, "You actually saw him? If so, why didn’t you kill him at that time? If you would have killed him I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a broad cloth waist band as sign of promotion."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Joab said to him, ‘What? You saw him? Why did- you not -kill him? If you have-killed him, I would have had-rewarded you ten silver and a belt for an officer.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Joab said to the man, ‘What? You say that you saw him hanging there, so why did you not kill him immediately ? If you had killed him, I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt!’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

2nd person pronoun with low register (Japanese)

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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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person.

In these verses, however, omae (おまえ) is used, a cruder second person pronoun, that Jesus for instance chooses when chiding his disciples. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also first person pronoun with low register and third person pronoun with low register.

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 18:11

It may be possible to leave the words to the man who told him implicit in many languages. This will be especially true in those cases where the verb said is translated by “responded” or “answered” as in Good News Translation.

What, you saw him! The initial exclamation translated What in Revised Standard Version is actually the same focusing particle often rendered “Behold,” as in the previous verse, and this particle is translated “behold” by King James Version and New American Standard Bible in this verse. Here it clearly marks Joab’s surprise at the fact that the soldier had not immediately killed the enemy commander. Many languages will have a particle used to show surprise or alarm that will be suitable here. The verb translated you saw actually has no object, but what is understood is certainly either Absalom or, more probably, Absalom in his peculiar predicament. In some languages it will be more natural to say “you saw that matter!” or “you saw him like that!”

Strike him there to the ground: the expected course of action in a normal battle would have been to kill the enemy immediately rather than coming back to Joab to report having seen him hanging in the tree. But the soldier had in mind the final order of David, who pleaded for clemency for Absalom (verse 5).

The reward that may have been given to this unnamed soldier if he had killed Absalom immediately would have been ten pieces of silver and a girdle. Regarding the first of these two elements, the Hebrew text actually says simply “ten of silver.” Since the weight measurement for silver was a shekel, New International Version is justified in supplying the word “shekels.” But since “shekel” is unknown to modern readers, a translation such as that found in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation is better. Most modern versions, including New Revised Standard Version, translate the second term as “belt.” See the comments on 1 Sam 18.4, where a noun with the same root is also translated “girdle” in Revised Standard Version.

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 .