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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 8:8

You may write: in Hebrew the plural pronoun you stands at the beginning of verse 8. Since Hebrew does not require the use of pronouns with verbs, the presence of the word you and its position at the beginning of the verse indicate that emphasis is intended. This adds to the emphasis expressed in the preceding verse by “Behold.” Anchor Bible brings out the force of the pronoun as follows: “But you yourselves write in the king’s name” (see also New Jerusalem Bible, “You, for your part, write”). Some languages will be able to use an emphatic pronoun, a full form pronoun, or an emphatic marker to achieve the same effect. If the emphasis on you is retained in the translation, it may be preferable not to restructure the verse as Today’s English Version has done.

As you please: many languages have idioms similar to the Hebrew, “as is good in your eyes.”

With regard to the Jews: though Today’s English Version says “to the Jews,” with regard to seems to be the more natural translation of the Hebrew preposition. Either is possible, however, and translators must choose according to which seems to be the more likely meaning here. See also verse 9, where a different Hebrew preposition is translated as “concerning [the Jews]” in Revised Standard Version and “to [the Jews]” in Today’s English Version.

Edict: the Hebrew is literally “a writing, document.” Here it refers to what has been written in the name of the king (see comments on “in the name of” in 2.22) and sealed with the ring (see comments on “signet ring” in 3.10). Such a “writing” cannot be “taken back” (see verse 5 above).

Notice the shift from the informality of the king’s use of the first person pronoun in verse 7 to the formality of the third person pronoun in this verse.

It is not clear whether the second half of verse 8, introduced with the word for, refers to the edict written earlier by Haman (3.12-14) or to the edict being written by Esther and Mordecai (8.8-14). If the former, the meaning is that Esther and Mordecai may write what they want, but they must remember that the edict written by Haman and sealed with the king’s ring still stands as law. By reversing the two parts of verse 8, Today’s English Version follows this first interpretation (also Bible en français courant). Yes, Haman is now dead (8.7), “but a proclamation issued in the king’s name and stamped with the royal seal cannot be revoked.” New Jerusalem Bible, by using only a comma before the word “for” follows the second interpretation, that is, the words refer to the edict written by Esther and Mordecai: “Write it in the king’s name and seal it with the king’s signet, for an edict that has been written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet may not be revoked.”

New International Version separates this part of the verse from the first part by a dash, suggesting that these words refer to both edicts: “—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible makes this part of the verse a separate sentence, stating in a note (édition intégrale) that any of the three interpretations is possible. It may be best to do as either New International Version or Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has done (also LSR), leaving the interpretation open to the reader.

On the closing of the quotation that began in verse 7 above, see the comments on that verse.

Septuagint 8.8

As in Hebrew, the Greek plural pronoun “you” stands with the verb Write at the beginning of verse 8 for emphasis. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translates “in your turn.”

What you think best is literally “as it is fitting [pleasing] to you [plural].” Today’s English Version restates in very casual language. Other expressions may be “as you see fit” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “as your heart [or, liver] wants.”

The words “with regard to the Jews” are omitted, and the words “in the name of the king … with the king’s ring” are changed to in my name … with my ring.

The word contravened is rather high-level English, meaning “to oppose in argument.” Contravened translates a Greek verb meaning “to speak against [something],” “to speak in opposition [to something].” It seems that Today’s English Version (also Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) have allowed the Hebrew parallel to influence the translation of the Greek verb. The sense here is not that the command of the king cannot be revoked or changed. Rather the Greek states that what the king commands is not even open for discussion by other people. Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente correctly says “A written command, in the name of the king, and made valid by the royal seal, can no longer be discussed.” So also Traduction œcuménique de la Bible: “For it is impossible to challenge [or, dispute] anything that has been written by order of the king and stamped with my ring.”

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 .