a pole fifty cubits high

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “a pole fifty cubits high” in English is translated in Newari as “a pillar 25 meters high to facilitate hanging” (source: Newari Back Translation).

cubit

The Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek that is translated as “cubit” or into a metric or imperial measurement in English is translated in Kutu, Kwere, and Nyamwezi as makono or “armlength.” Since a cubit is the measurement from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, one armlength (measured from the center of the chest to the fingertips) equals two cubits or roughly 1 meter. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Similarly, in Akoose, the translation is “arm distance.” (Source: Joseph Nkwelle Ngome and Marlie van Rooyen & Jacobus A. Naudé in Communicatio 2009, p. 251ff.)

In Klao it is converted into “hand spans” (app. 6 inches or 12 cm) and “finger spans” (app. 1 inch or 2 cm) (source: Don Slager) and in Bariai into leoa or “fathom,” which comprises the distance from a person’s fingertip to fingertip with arms outstretched, app. 6 feet (source: Bariai Back Translation).

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. ) and in Tok Pisin “a man whose testicles they had removed” (source: Martha Wade in The Bible Translator 2012, p. 81ff. )

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)

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 7:9

Today’s English Version has slightly restructured the last part of verse 8 and the beginning of verse 9. Though the Hebrew introduces the eunuchs in verse 9, Today’s English Version makes their presence explicit in verse 8 by indicating that it was the eunuchs who covered Haman’s head. It should be noted that verse 8 does not have an explicit subject for the verb “covered,” but Today’s English Version (also Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) is probably correct in assuming that these eunuchs were the persons who covered Haman’s face.

On eunuch see comments on 1.10. The Hebrew says that Harbona was one of the eunuchs who served the king, but Today’s English Version says only “the eunuchs” (see verse 8), without stating whether they served the king or the queen. Translators should maintain the information that these were the eunuchs who served the king, and not those who served the queen.

Moreover: not only was Haman guilty of apparently making improper sexual advances toward the queen, he was Moreover guilty of trying to kill the very person who had saved the king’s life (see 2.21-23). Though many translations omit any word or expression that corresponds to Moreover (Revised Standard Version) or “even went so far as” (Today’s English Version), the Hebrew word, which means “too, also,” shows that Harbona is providing the king with another reason why Haman should be executed (see Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). This adverb is followed by hinneh (see comments on 6.5), which emphatically introduces the information that Harbona will offer.

The translation of Revised Standard Version, the gallows … is standing in Haman’s house, fifty cubits high may seem to suggest that the gallows was inside the house. Today’s English Version more correctly translates “at his house.”

On the gallows see comment on 2.23; on fifty cubits high see 5.14.

The words for Mordecai mean “in order to kill Mordecai.”

Whose word saved the king: this of course is a reference to 2.21-23. Revised Standard Version restates the original, while Today’s English Version interprets in idiomatic language. Chouraqui translates quite literally, “who spoke for the good of the king.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible says “whose word was so useful to the king.”

Septuagint 7.9

The name Bugathan replaces the name “Harbona” of the Hebrew text. Bugathan’s remark is prefaced by the emphatic adverb idou, similar to the Hebrew hinneh.

Information of concern to the king: the Greek describes Mordecai as “the one having spoken about [what concerned] the king.” Today’s English Version makes explicit the allusion to the assassination plot that Mordecai discovered and reported.

Let Haman be hanged: the Greek is literally “Let him be crucified on that.” Both New Revised Standard Version and Today’s English Version make the subject of the verb explicit: Haman. Although the verb is the word that is usually used for crucifying, most translations interpret it here to refer to hanging. Since Septuagint 7.10 clearly says that Haman was “hanged,” the same meaning seems intended here by the Greek verb “crucified.”

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 .