“Go and gather the Jews who are in Susa and fast on my behalf; for three days and nights do not eat or drink, and my maids and I will also go without food. After that I will go to the king, contrary to the law, even if I must die.”
The Aramaic, Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated as “fast” in English is translated in Isthmus Mixe as “going without food to worship God,” in Lacandon as “leaving eating in order to talk to God” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.), in Vidunda as “resting to eat” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext), and in Kankanaey as “endure hunger” (source: Kankanaey Back Translation).
In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a sign referring to abstinence from food and drink. (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)
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:
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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”
All the Jews to be found in Susa: though no number is given, there must have been many Jews in Susa, since they later killed 300 men (see 9.15).
The Hebrew text says hold a fast on my behalf. The prepositional phrase on my behalf together with the context seems to imply that there was a different reason for the fasting here from that of verse 3 above. Although Esther faces possible death, there is hope of deliverance. Since fasting was often accompanied by prayer in the Old Testament (see 2 Sam 12.16; Ezra 8.21, 23), Today’s English Version says “hold a fast and pray for me.” Probably the translators of Today’s English Version wanted to make clear that fasting was for religious reasons, so they added “and pray.” Since the writer of the Hebrew text of Esther carefully avoids any explicit mention of God, prayer, or religious faith throughout the story, translators following the Hebrew text may decide not to add the words “and pray.”
Though some interpreters understand the Hebrew words neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day to mean that the people are to fast for three days, choosing to fast either during the day or during the night, that is, for three twelve-hour periods, most scholars understand this phrase to mean that the people are not to eat or drink for the entire three days, fasting both day and night (so Today’s English Version, Revised English Bible).
The order of the Hebrew words for night or day may perhaps only be stylistic, but it may be noted that “day or night” is the more frequent order found in the Old Testament. Unless the receptor language has a particular order or formulaic expression, the word order of the original should be retained.
I and my maids will also fast: the verb “to fast” is in the first person singular here. A more literal translation is “I, along with my maids, will also fast.” Though the verb is singular, clearly the maids are included with Esther. Many languages will use a pattern similar to the Hebrew, sometimes using a first person plural pronoun, “we and my maids.”
Though it is against the law: this is literally “which [or, although it] is not according to law.” The law here is, of course, the Persian law, dat, which forbade anyone to enter the inner court without having been called by the king (see 4.11). In some languages it may be necessary to restate as, for example, “even though the law does not allow” or “even though the laws forbids.”
If I perish, I perish: this concluding sentence is powerful and dramatic. Many languages will have an equivalent expression such as Today’s English Version (compare Bible en français courant, “even if that must cost me my life”), or perhaps “If it is to be [my] death, I will die.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “And if they kill me, let them kill me.”
Septuagint 4.16
The information provided in the Greek version of this verse is the same as the Hebrew. The Greek quotes Esther as saying that she will go to the king “against the law” (nomos), but the meaning is the same as in Hebrew. The concluding sentence, while different in structure, does not differ in dramatic style: “even if for me to die it is.” Today’s English Version has harmonized the two sentences. Translators may wish to reflect a difference in syntax while retaining equivalent dramatic style and meaning.
Note that the Greek text, like the Hebrew, does not have the words “and pray,” which Today’s English Version adds to the translation of both the Hebrew and the Greek. Such an addition should not be made to the translation of the Hebrew (see comments on the Hebrew text), but it may more legitimately be made explicit in the translation of the Greek text.
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 .
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