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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 7:7

The king rose: in some cultures the action of rising may signal judgment, but here it is the movement that will take the king out of the presence of Esther and Haman. Where the Hebrew style is sparse and elliptical, Today’s English Version spells everything out. The Hebrew uses only one verb, “rose … into the garden,” while Today’s English Version says “got up … left … went outside.” The translator should try to convey the anger of the king and his abrupt departure from the scene.

The feast is literally “the feast [or, banquet] of wine.” New Jerusalem Bible says “The king, in his fury, left the wine feast….” New International Version says “The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out….” Neither Revised Standard Version nor Today’s English Version translates the word “wine” here, perhaps assuming that it is not necessary, since verse 2 has already indicated that wine was being drunk at the banquet. Translators, however, are urged to follow the Hebrew here and retain this information in verse 7.

On the palace garden see comments on 1.5.

To beg his life (Revised Standard Version) or “to beg for his life” means “to beg the queen to save his life” (so Bible en français courant, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). In verse 3 above, Esther is pleading to the king for her nefesh, life; here Haman begs Esther for his nefesh, life.

Evil was determined against him: the Hebrew says raʿah “evil, calamity, wickedness,” which is interpreted by some to mean “fate” in this context (so New English Bible, New International Version). The author makes a play on words here. The same Hebrew word used here with reference to Haman was used by Esther when she described him in verse 6 (“This wicked Haman!”). Some languages may prefer to restructure the sentence and use an active verb, like New Jerusalem Bible, which says “he saw that the king had resolved to destroy him,” or Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, which says “upon realizing that the king had decided to condemn him to death.” Although there is an implication of punishment (compare Today’s English Version), it is not punishment in a strictly legal sense, but more in the sense of vengeance. The emphasis in the following verses is not on Haman’s having broken a law but on the king’s anger over Haman’s actions. Gordis renders these words in idiomatic English as “he saw that his doom was sealed with the king.”

Septuagint 7.7

The Greek formally copies the ellipsis of the Hebrew by omitting a specific verb for went into the garden. However, the single verb with its double prefix may convey the meaning “to arise and depart from.”

In several details the Greek differs from the Hebrew. For instance, the Greek version omits the detail that the king left the room “in a fury” (Today’s English Version). It also omits the detail that Haman “stayed behind.”

Though the Hebrew says that Haman begged for his nefesh, life, the Greek says only that he implored the queen. It is possible that both New Revised Standard Version and Today’s English Version are based on a Greek manuscript that has the words for his life, but it is more likely that they have simply made explicit that for which Haman begged. Revised English Bible says that Haman began “to plead with the queen” (so also 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 .