Absalom (image)

Hand colored stencil print on momigami by Sadao Watanabe (1972).

Image taken with permission from the SadaoHanga Catalogue where you can find many more images and information about Sadao Watanabe.

For other images of Sadao Watanabe art works in TIPs, see here.

See also Absalom.

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (2Sam 19:6)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai translation uses the exclusive pronoun, excluding the king.

Absalom

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)


“Absalom” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

See also Absalom (image).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Absalom .

complete verse (2 Samuel 19:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 2 Samuel 19:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “You love the people who hate you, and do not come close to/hate those who love you. You have today showed us that you despise us, the leaders of the soldiers and even these soldiers. I have seen that you would have been very happy if we had all died and Absalom was alive.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “You love your enemies and hate the ones who love you. You have made it clear today that our commanding generals and our men are nothing to you. I see that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would have rejoiced.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You (sing.) love the one-who-goes-against you (sing.), and you (sing.) hate the one-who-loves you (sing.). (It is) clear that you (sing.) are- not -giving-any value to your (sing.) officers and men. I realized that you (sing.) are more pleased if all of us (excl.) are dead and Absalom on-the-other-hand is-alive.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “It seems that you love those who hate you and that you hate those who love you. You have caused it to be clear today that your commanders and your officers are not at all important to you. I think that if Absalom were still alive and we were all dead today, you would be happy.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("do/make")

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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, s-are-ru (される) or “do/make” is used.

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

Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("hate")

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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, nikum-are-ru (憎まれる) or “hate” is used.

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

Translation commentary on 2 Samuel 19:6

While Revised Standard Version reflects the Hebrew in continuing the sentence begun in the previous verse, it may be better in many languages to follow the model of Good News Translation and begin a new sentence at this point.

The terms love and hate are frequently used in the Old Testament for loyalty and disloyalty in a political sense. Contemporary English Version says “you’re more loyal to your enemies than to your friends.” See the comments on 1 Sam 16.21; 20.17.

The Hebrew verb translated you have made it clear simply means “to make [something] known.” Contemporary English Version reads “What you’ve done today has shown your officers and soldiers that they don’t mean a thing to you.”

Commanders and servants: these two terms refer to those who were leaders in battle and the men who followed their orders. In some languages translators may say “warrior chiefs and warriors” or “men who lead in battle and those who followed.”

Are nothing to you: in some languages it will be more natural to change the structure of this part of the verse to say “you care nothing at all about [the military leaders and soldiers].”

I perceive: this verb may be better rendered in some languages as “I think” or “I believe.” But others may easily say “see.” It may be better placed following the “if” clause rather than before it. On the other hand, the “then” clause may be moved forward in the verse in other languages. Some possible models are “If Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, then I believe you would be very pleased” or “I think you would be very happy today if Absalom were here and we had all died in battle.”

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 .