king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, 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 (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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on Greek Esther 1:34

[Esther 1:17]

This verse continues the direct quotation from the previous verse, within which it includes another quotation. This second quotation is the statement that the husbands will make when they hear what Queen Vashti has done. Both Revised Standard Version and Today’s English Version have an ambiguous they as speakers of the quotation. The Hebrew is clearly masculine, and the translation should make clear that it is the husbands who are reporting what Vashti has done. Some languages may prefer to use indirect quotation within direct quotation, but the dramatic impact of direct speech should be maintained at both levels, if possible.

Note how New American Bible does not clearly state that these are the husbands’ words, but this seems to be implied in the words “when it is reported.” New American Bible says “and they will look with disdain upon their husbands when it is reported, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded that Queen Vashti be ushered into his presence, but she would not come.’ ”

Though the writer does not state the comparison explicitly, the meaning is that, just as Queen Vashti did not obey the king, now women in the Persian Empire will say to their own husbands that they likewise will not obey their husbands.

Husbands translates the Hebrew word that is often translated as “owner” or “master,” and this word fits the context well here. However, in translation the equivalent of “husband” should be retained.

Septuagint 1.17

The first part of verse 17 is an explanatory comment inserted among Muchaeus’ words in the Greek. New Revised Standard Version therefore presents this comment within parentheses.

For he had reported: according to New Revised Standard Version, the subject of the verb is Muchaeus, who began speaking in verse 16. Some translations make the king the subject of this verb (Today’s English Version [see verse 16], Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Either interpretation fits the context equally well. If translators choose the king as the subject, it may be better to use a pluperfect verb, saying that “the king had told” (so Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) rather than “the king told” (see 1.13).

The remainder of the verse continues the advice of Muchaeus: And just as she defied King Artaxerxes (New Revised Standard Version). The word defied translates a Greek verb that may be translated more literally as “to speak against.” However, the account of the story makes it clear that the queen did not speak against the king in the sense of accusing him or even of insulting him. Instead she showed “disrespect” (Today’s English Version) by not being obedient to his command (see 1.12). The end of verse 17 forms the beginning of verse 18 in Revised English Bible.

Today’s English Version restructures by moving the parenthetical comment to verse 16, and by joining verses 17 and 18 to maintain chronological sequence in the narration. This simplifies and enhances the flow of the story line, although the result may border on paraphrase.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on the Book of Esther — Deuterocanon: The Greek Text. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .