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 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 Esther 1:13   

The Hebrew sentence structure in verses 13-15 is somewhat complicated. Verse 13 begins by stating that the king spoke to the wise men who knew the times, but what he said to them is not stated until verse 15. Some translations indicate the parenthetical nature of 13b and 14 by the use of dashes (Revised Standard Version, An American Translation) or parentheses (New Jerusalem Bible), while other versions restructure the sentence and introduce verse 15 with the words “He said to these men” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant).

No specific indication of time is given in verse 13. Some versions say Then the king said (Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible), while other versions begin this verse with no time reference: “He conferred with the wise men…” (New American Bible, Revised English Bible). Verse 18 (“This very day”) may be interpreted to mean that the king consulted the wise men the very same day that Queen Vashti refused to come, but the Hebrew text itself in fact uses that expression to indicate how soon the evil result of Vashti’s action will take effect.

The wise men who knew the times probably refers to court astrologers (New International Version Study Bible). Gordis translates “his wise counsellors, who were expert in astrology.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible transposes these words to the beginning of verse 15 for greater clarity and translates “Then the king said to the astrologers.” Possibly they knew the times in that they knew past events and how past events had been resolved according to the law. Compare Revised English Bible, “versed in precedents.”

Some interpreters, however, think that the Hebrew text here should be changed slightly to read “the laws” (so New Revised Standard Version) instead of “the times.” Astrologers, they argue, were not considered as versed in law and judgment. Additionally, the answer in verses 16-20 does not depend on a knowledge of astrological matters. Translations that follow this suggested change in the text read as follows: “He conferred with the wise men versed in the law” (New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). Some translations avoid the specific reference either to “those who knew the times” or to “those who knew the law,” and use a more general term such as “advisers” (Good News Translation) or “experts” (Bible en français courant).

The textual scholars who prepared Hebrew Old Testament Text Project have not accepted conjectures, that is, readings with no support by any biblical manuscripts, so the recommendation of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project is that translators accept the reading “who knew the times.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives an “A” evaluation to the Hebrew text, indicating a very high probability that this is the correct text to be translated.

In some languages it may be appropriate to say that “they knew the times,” while in others the idea of seeing or divining may be brought out. However, it should not be implied that they were magicians or that they practiced witchcraft.

Though some interpreters see two different groups of specialists in verse 13, the wise men who knew the times and those who were versed in law and judgment, most understand the two groups to be identical. Law, a word that first occurred in 1.8 above, may be translated here with a formal or technical term representing laws in the legal sense. Judgment, din, the third legal term to be used in the book, is closely associated with “law” and may be translated as “justice” (New International Version) or “custom” (New Revised Standard Version).

Revised Standard Version follows the Hebrew text fairly closely, while Good News Translation restates it to make clear the explanation given in this verse that the king was following normal procedure in seeking the advice of his councilors. This continuity with precedent may be expressed by saying that he acted “according to the way,” in accord with “practice,” or in line with “tradition.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .