The name that is transliterated as “Mordecai” in English means “little man,” “bitter bruising,” “bitterly reduced,” “bitterness of my oppression.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
It is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign depicting the tearing of clothes, referring to Esther 4:1. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
The name that is transliterated as “Haman” in English means “alone,” “solitary,” “well disposed,” “a rioter,” “rager.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
The name 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, Ge’ez, 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”
On the king’s signet ring see 3.10. To avoid the wrong impression that the signet ring originally belonged to Haman, Today’s English Version says “which he had taken back from Haman” (so also New Jerusalem Bible, “who had recovered his signet ring from Haman”). That the king gave Mordecai his signet ring means that Mordecai now has the position of authority that the king had earlier granted to Haman. In the development of the plot of the story, the fact that Mordecai received the king’s ring becomes significant a few verses later (see 8.7-8). Today’s English Version encloses the clause about taking back the ring from Haman within parentheses, to indicate that this is considered to be editorial explanation in the text.
It may be necessary to restructure quite extensively in order to make clear the sequence of actions referred to in this verse. The king had first given his ring to Haman, then he took it back from Haman and put it on his own finger, now he takes it off his own finger and gives it to Mordecai. While being careful to omit none of the meaning of the original text, the translator should not make explicit more details than are necessary for good comprehension.
Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman: see comment in 8.1 on “the house of Haman.” Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman’s former property, that is, she made him responsible over it.
Septuagint 8.2
The Greek says literally that the king took the ring (New Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Today’s English Version “took off” (also Revised English Bible) assumes in light of the Hebrew that the king was wearing the ring. Though the Greek is literally the ring (New Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), Today’s English Version says “his ring with his seal on it,” to make clear which ring is referred to (similarly Revised English Bible, “his signet ring”). This is the ring that had been taken from Haman. The pluperfect verb indicates that this had happened earlier. New Revised Standard Version also refers to the property that had been Haman’s. This alludes to the fact that Haman is no longer alive and therefore no longer possesses the property.
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 .
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.