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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 5:6

[Today’s English Version D.6; Revised Standard Version 15.6]

All the doors refers to the various entryways in the palace through which Esther had to pass in order to come into the king’s presence.

Royal throne: see comments on the Hebrew of 5.1.

As Esther had appeared “majestically adorned” (verses 2-3), the king was also adorned in all the apparel of his majesty or of his royalty. The full array of his majesty: the word translated majesty means “appearance” or “manifestation.” A literal translation is “every [long, flowing] robe of appearance.” Compare New American Bible (and similarly New Jerusalem Bible), “clothed in full robes of state.” Osty-Trinquet (similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) preserves a more literal form, “dressed in all the distinguishing marks of his official appearances.” In this context, “of appearance” clearly suggests that this was the robe he wore when he appeared publicly as king, and that it was magnificent in appearance.

All covered with gold and precious stones: the ornaments and jewelry associated with royalty were gold and precious stones, that is, “little stones that cost very much” or “shining little stones that were very valuable” (see also comments on 1.6). According to Today’s English Version it was not the king himself who was all covered but rather his royal robes. If that is the case it may be necessary in some languages to say that the gold and precious stones were sewn onto the king’s robes. But the Greek and a number of translations make all covered to refer to the king (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, La Sainte Bible: La version Etablie par les moines de Maredsous, Bible en français courant). In many languages this may be the natural way to say it, namely, that “he was all bedecked in gold and precious stones.” New Jerusalem Bible says he was “glittering with gold and precious stones.”

He was: in Greek the verb has no explicit subject. The subject may be the king (“he”) or it may be the general view, including the room and the throne in addition to the appearance of the king (“it”). Revised Standard Version and many translations apply the last comment to the king, while some, like Today’s English Version and New Jerusalem Bible, take it in a more general sense, though this seems less likely. The meaning is that Esther was standing before something that was very frightening, namely, the king on his throne.

Most terrifying: this adjective has the active sense of “causing fear.” Some, like Today’s English Version, take the major component of meaning to be “awe,” or “awesomeness.” Compare New American Bible “so that he inspired great awe.” Though the king must certainly have been “awe-inspiring,” in this context the meaning is more likely that he caused Esther great fear (so New Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

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 .