king (Japanese honorifics)

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 of appropriate suffix title referred to as keishō (敬称) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017 by either using -san or –sama with the latter being the more formal title.

These titles are distinct from nominal titles such as “teacher” or “king.” This is evident in the Shinkaiyaku Bible from forms such as ō-sama (王様) “king” which is a combination of the nominal title ō “king” and the suffix title –sama.

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

See also King and son of the king (Japanese honorifics).

king

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 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).

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 19:26

My lord, O king: this respectful form of address to the king will probably not be rendered literally in most cases. Compare 1 Sam 26.17.

It will be very important to clarify the meaning of my servant and your servant in this verse. When Mephibosheth says your servant he is referring to himself, and this should probably be translated by the first person singular pronoun in most languages, although appropriate adjustments should be made elsewhere in the quotation to show that he was properly polite in speaking to the king. And the words my servant refer to Ziba, who is not mentioned by name in this passage until verse 29. It will, however, be very important to introduce the name earlier in many languages, since readers are not likely to remember the story in chapter 16. The only English translation that provides a good model in this case is New Century Version, which says clearly “my servant Ziba,” and later “I said to Ziba” instead of your servant said to him.

Saddle an ass for me: the traditional Hebrew text says “let me saddle for myself…,” and this is quite possibly the original reading (so Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). The fact that Mephibosheth was crippled in both legs may have led copyists to change the original text so that he gives instructions to his servant to do the work for him. This is the way the Septuagint reads. Although Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends “Let me saddle for myself…” and gives this text a {B} reading, many modern versions adopt the reading of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.

The position of the final explanatory statement indicating that Mephibosheth was lame may be totally wrong in certain languages. Since it is the key to understanding the whole affair, it may be wise to place it at the very beginning of Mephibosheth’s explanation.

As is frequently the case, one direct quotation within another may present special problems for translators. It will probably be a good idea to make the internal quotation, indicating what Mephibosheth said to Ziba, into an indirect quotation, as Good News Translation, Moffatt, and Contemporary English Version have done.

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 .