cosmetic treatments

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “cosmetic (or: beauty) treatments” in English is translated in Newari as “(giving of) grooming materials” (source: Newari Back Translation).

virgin

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The Hebrew and Greek that is mostly translated as “virgin” in English can be translated as “woman that is untouched” in Batak Toba or “a woman with a whole (i.e. unopened) body” in Uab Meto.

“Similar words for ‘girl,’unmarried young woman,’ suggesting virginity without explicitly stating it, are found in Marathi, Apache, or Kituba. Cultural features naturally influence connotations of possible renderings, for instance, the child marriage customs in some Tboli areas, where the boy and girl are made to sleep together at the initial marriage, but after that do not live together and may not see each other again for years. Hence, the closest attainable equivalent, ‘female adolescent,’ does not imply that a young girl is not living with her husband, and that she never had a child, but leaves uncertain whether she has ever slept with a male person or not. Accordingly, in Luke one has to depend on Luke 1:34 to make clear that Mary and Joseph had not had sexual intercourse. A different problem is encountered in Pampanga, where birhen (an adaptation of Spanish virgen — ‘virgin’), when standing alone, is a name of the ‘Virgin Mary.’ To exclude this meaning the version uses “marriageable birhen,” thus at the same time indicating that Mary was relatively young.” (Source: Reiling / Swellengrebel, see here)

In Navajo (Dinė), the term that is used is “no husband yet” (Source: Wallis, p. 106) and in Gola the expression “trouser girl.” “In the distant past young women who were virgins wore trousers. Those who were not virgins wore dresses. That doesn’t hold true anymore, but the expression is still there in the language.” (Source: Don Slager)

The term in Djimini Senoufo is katogo jo — “village-dance-woman” (women who have been promised but who are still allowed to go to dances with unmarried women). (Source: Übersetzung heute 3/1995)

In Igbo translations, typically a newly-created, multi-word phrase is used that very explicitly states that there has not been any sexual relations and that translates as “a woman (or: maiden) who does not know a man.” This is in spite of the fact that there is a term (agb͕ọghọ) that means “young woman” and has the connotation of her not having had sexual relations (this is for instance used by the Standard Igbo Bible of the Bible Society of Nigeria for Isaiah 7:14). Incidentally, the euphemistic expression “know” (ma in Igbo) for “having sex” has become a well-known euphemism outside of Bible translation. (Source: Uchenna Oyali in Sociolinguistic Studies Vol. 17 No. 1-3 (2023): Special Issue: Gender and sexuality in African discourses )

In Chichewa, it is translated as namwali which is used to refer to a girl who has reached puberty stage and is ready to get married. Apart from the physical aspect, the word also has social implications in the sense that it is used to recognize the fact that the girl has become responsible enough to make informed decisions and take care of herself and others. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also virgins (Revelation 14:4) and complete verse (Matthew 1:23).

harem

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “harem” in English is translated in North Alaskan Inupiatun as relating to a group of women rather than a place (source: Robert Bascom), whereas in Kwere it is translated as “the house of the women/wives of the king.” (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

eunuch

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “eunuch” in English is translated in Low German as “man (or: person) who does not have male strength” (Minsch, de ehr Mannskraft nicht hebt) (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006). Similarly, in the German Luther Bible it is translated as Entmannter or “de-masculated.” (Source: Jost Zetzsche)

In Bislama it is “a person who has been castrated.” (Source: Bill Camden in The Bible Translator 1995, p. 240ff. )

When the mentioning of “eunuch” does not play an important part of the story, such as in Esther 2:3 or Esther 1:15, the Elhomwe translation uses “servant or “someone working at the palace” “because otherwise element of being castrated too much emphasis.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Translation commentary on Greek Esther 2:3

Let the king appoint officers: in Hebrew the word officers comes from the same root as the verb appoint. These officers were appointed or commissioned for this task. New American Bible calls them “commissaries,” that is, someone delegated by a superior to perform a duty. In some languages the expression “let the king place people” will express the meaning “appoint,” since the specific task for which they are placed is stated.

The provinces: see comments on 1.1.

To gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem: on virgins see comments on verse 2. It is not clear whether these young virgins, including Esther, were forced to participate in this beauty contest, or whether they did so by choice. A verb should be used for “gather” or “assemble” that does not connote the use of force.

The word harem of Revised Standard Version as well as Today’s English Version translates the Hebrew expression “house [of] the women.” If a special term corresponding to harem exists, it may be used; otherwise an expression similar to the Hebrew, or “dwelling place of the women,” may be used. For the status of the women who lived in the harem, see the comments on 2.14 below.

Susa the capital is “the citadel of Susa” (New Revised Standard Version) as in 1.2.

Under custody of Hegai: according to the Hebrew version the virgins were to be placed “into [or, under] the hand of Hegai.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible says they were to be placed “under the authority of Hegai,” while New International Version says “in the care of Hegai.” It may be possible to find an idiom similar to the Hebrew that includes the two components of care and authority.

Hegai the king’s eunuch: see comments on 1.10 concerning the translation of eunuch. The precise relationship between the words king and eunuch is not specified in Hebrew. Since this verse states that Hegai was in charge of the women, it does not appear that Hegai’s relationship to the king was that of a personal servant to the king himself. He was the eunuch who was in charge of the women in the king’s harem and was therefore called the king’s eunuch. Some translations call him “the royal eunuch” (New American Bible, Nueva Biblia Española).

Let their ointments be given them: this passive construction may need to be restated; for example, “tell Hegai to give their ointments to them.”

The ointments translates a word whose root meaning is “to rub” or “to polish.” The ointments were used during the year-long preparation before the women were taken to the king (see 2.12). The meaning in English is perhaps captured better in Today’s English Version (“beauty treatment”) and in New Revised Standard Version (“cosmetic treatments”). Perhaps a translation such as “rubbing oils [or ointments, or fats]” or “oils for rubbing on oneself” may be used to imply a beauty treatment for women (see also 2.9, 12).

Septuagint 2.3

Several small changes exist in the Septuagint: Hegai is not mentioned by name (although Today’s English Version inserts it, following the Hebrew), and the end of the verse contains the additional words and whatever else they need. The preceding verse specified that the girls were to be virtuous; here it is explicitly stated that they are to be virgins.

Officers translates a word often used for “village headman.” Here it simply means that the king will “name people” to carry out the specified task.

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 .