The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Esther” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign depicting a star on a crown, referring to her being a queen and her name likely meaning “star” (see here ). (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”
The king’s words are quoted in direct speech. He addresses Esther in formal court language, using her title of queen. But his words are kind, and care must be taken not to make his questions sound accusing or unkind. The language should not be casual. The king’s assurance that her wish will be granted is expressed with a passive verb in Revised Standard Version, reflecting the meaning of the Hebrew original. The king avoids referring to himself in the first person, except where he speaks of his kingdom.
The king asks two parallel questions. The first is general, “What [is it] for you?” The second is specific, “What [is] your request?” He concludes with a promise.
The half of my kingdom poses two potential problems for the translator. These are in the words half and kingdom. If fractions are difficult to express, the half may be restated as “the one part” or “the one side out of two.” Kingdom here refers specifically to the territory or the land over which the king rules (compare Mark 6.23). The king himself makes this clear by specifying my kingdom.
Septuagint 5.3
In the Greek version of this verse, the king asks the two questions that occur in the Hebrew version of verse 6 below. Today’s English Version translates the questions to harmonize with its translation of the Hebrew version of this verse. The Greek lacks the title “Queen” before Esther’s name.
Some languages may use a syntactic pattern similar to the Greek in expressing the king’s promise, “Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be yours.”
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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