archive

The Aramaic and Greek that is translated as “archive” in English is translated in Newari as “book room” (source: Newari Back Translation).

king

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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 (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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 2:23

Affair: this is literally the davar, the “plot” that came to the ears of Mordecai and that Esther reported to the king.

The affair was investigated: the affair that Esther reported to the king was looked into; there was an official inquiry. However, the Hebrew text does not say who ordered the investigation and the subsequent hanging, nor does it say who carried them out. The context is that of a royal court, and the investigation and the execution were clearly official acts. If possible the translator should try to avoid making information explicit that is not stated or that is not clearly implicit.

Gallows are a structure made from upright posts and a crossbeam from which a person was hanged with a rope, or he was nailed to the crossbeam. The Hebrew is literally “hanged on a tree [or, wood],” but the exact meaning of this phrase is not entirely clear. It can refer to hanging, but alternatively it can mean “impaled on a stake” (see Ezra 6.11), and historical evidence indicates that the Persians did use that form of punishment. This second interpretation is followed by New Jerusalem Bible, “the two were impaled on stakes.”

Also possible is the view that crucifixion is meant; but because of the height of the structure built by Haman in 5.14, many interpreters think that the references to hanging in Esther 2.23; 5.14; 6.4; 7.9, 10; 8.7; 9.13, 14, 25 all refer to gallows, that is, to strangulation by hanging from a rope that is tied around the neck (so Today’s English Version and nearly all translations).

Where structures for hanging are not known, it may be necessary to use a descriptive phrase; for instance, “a wooden structure for hanging [or, killing].”

The Book of the Chronicles, literally “the book of the words [or, affairs] of the days,” does not refer to the biblical books of 1 and 2 Chronicles. The reference is to the “official records of the empire” (see also 6.1). This is sometimes translated as “book of annals” (so New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible). Biblia Dios Habla Hoy may provide a good model for some languages: “in the book in which the history of the nation was written.”

In the presence of the king may be understood to mean that the king commanded this to be written (so Today’s English Version, Bible en français courant, New Jerusalem Bible), or it may mean that the king personally oversaw the writing of this account in the official records. Less probable, this phrase may refer to the location of the records: “kept within the king’s apartments” (Moffatt).

Septuagint 2.23

Unlike the Hebrew, which says that the affair was investigated, the Greek says that the king investigated the eunuchs. This does not necessarily mean that he personally interrogated them (compare Today’s English Version). Another difference in the Septuagint is the information telling why the king had the account recorded: in praise of the goodwill shown by Mordecai.

The words a memorandum to be deposited are literally “to set [or, place] in memory of.” Many translations, following the sense of the Hebrew, say something similar to Today’s English Version (so Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). However, the Greek does not explicitly say that this object was something written. It is possible, for example, that a statue may have been placed in the royal library. But since the book of Esther mentions several times that things were written in official records, this is probably the intended sense here also; and translators may follow the model provided by Today’s English Version.

Royal library: this may need to be described, if no specific word exists for a place where books and records are kept; for instance, “the place where the king kept the books that recorded events in his empire.”

In praise of the goodwill shown by Mordecai: the goodwill (or, favor) shown by Mordecai refers to Mordecai’s actions in the previous verse, that is, his causing the king to find out about the plot against the king’s life. The words in praise come at the end of the verse in Greek and should be connected to the king as the one who praises. Today’s English Version, for example, says that the king did this “to honor [in praise of] Mordecai” (similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Compare also Traduction œcuménique de la Bible (similarly Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente): “In eulogy [praise], the king ordered the registration of these facts….” In other words it is the king who is praising or honoring Mordecai by placing something in the royal archives. The primary sense seems to be that the king will praise Mordecai, but the writer probably means also that other people who will see this memorandum in the royal archives will remember what Mordecai did, and they will praise him because of it.

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 .