The name that is transliterated as “Judah” or “Judea” in English (referring to the son of Jacob, the tribe, and the territory) is translated in Spanish Sign Language as “lion” (referring to Genesis 49:9 and Revelation 5:5). This sign for lion is reserved for regions and kingdoms. (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. and Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 19:14:
Kupsabiny: “When the men of Judah heard those words, they all agreed and sent mouth/message to the king that, ‘You come back with all your people.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Because of this message of David he succeeded in winning the minds of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. Then they send a request to the king saying that he should come back with all his people.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “David convinced all those of/from-Juda and they became-one in their decision. They sent a message to David saying, ‘You (sing.) return here to us (excl.) and all your men.’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “By sending that message to them, David convinced all the people of Judah that they should be loyal to him/accept him as their king. So they sent a message to the king, saying ‘We want you and all your officials to return here.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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:
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.”
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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 benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, okaeri (お帰り) or “return” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”
The pronoun he at the beginning of this verse is probably a reference to David, and in some languages it will be necessary to make this clear by the use of the personal name (Good News Translation, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bible en français courant, and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). However, some scholars take it as a reference to Amasa (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and Moffatt), who, because of his nomination as David’s new military chief, would have worked at convincing the other people of Judah to support David. A third alternative is to follow the manuscript evidence that has a passive form of the verb and yields a translation meaning “the heart of every man in Judah was inclined like one man.” This is adopted by Anchor Bible and Contemporary English Version. The writer’s intention, however, is most likely that David is to be understood as the subject. Translators are therefore advised to translate this meaning.
Swayed the heart: this expression is translated elsewhere “incline the heart…” (Josh 24.23; 1 Kgs 8.58). David’s messages had served to make the people of Judah inclined toward him as their king. Some other ways of expressing this are “attracted them,” “won them over,” or “gained their loyalty.”
All the men of Judah: this, of course, does not mean that the women were against him. If the use of the word for men implies this in the receptor language, it should be avoided. It will be quite easy in most cases to say “all the people of Judah.”
As one man: or “as one person,” since there is no particular emphasis on maleness in this case. This expression is a fairly common one for unity and completeness. It indicates that there was no dissension at all among the people of Judah. The same expression occurs in 1 Sam 11.7; Judges 6.16; 20.1, 8, 11; Num 14.15; Ezra 3.1; Neh 8.1.
The direct quotation of what the people of Judah sent to David may need to be made indirect in many languages. Revised English Bible provides a possible model, “they sent to the king, urging him and his men to return.” The Hebrew says “they sent” without an object, but in many languages it will be necessary to add an object such as “word” (Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation) or “a message.”
Servants: in this context the word servants is a clear reference to the soldiers and officials who were with David. In most cases it will be necessary to alter the form in order to translate this meaning clearly.
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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