cosmetic treatments

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “cosmetic (or: beauty) treatments” in English is translated in Newari as “(giving of) grooming materials” (source: Newari Back Translation).

virgin

The Hebrew and Greek that is mostly translated as “virgin” in English can be translated as “woman that is untouched” in Batak Toba or “a woman with a whole (i.e. unopened) body” in Uab Meto.

“Similar words for ‘girl,’unmarried young woman,’ suggesting virginity without explicitly stating it, are found in Marathi, Apache, or Kituba. Cultural features naturally influence connotations of possible renderings, for instance, the child marriage customs in some Tboli areas, where the boy and girl are made to sleep together at the initial marriage, but after that do not live together and may not see each other again for years. Hence, the closest attainable equivalent, ‘female adolescent,’ does not imply that a young girl is not living with her husband, and that she never had a child, but leaves uncertain whether she has ever slept with a male person or not. Accordingly, in Luke one has to depend on Luke 1:34 to make clear that Mary and Joseph had not had sexual intercourse. A different problem is encountered in Pampanga, where birhen (an adaptation of Spanish virgen — ‘virgin’), when standing alone, is a name of the ‘Virgin Mary.’ To exclude this meaning the version uses “marriageable birhen,” thus at the same time indicating that Mary was relatively young.” (Source: Reiling / Swellengrebel, see here)

In Navajo (Dinė), the term that is used is “no husband yet” (Source: Wallis, p. 106) and in Gola the expression “trouser girl.” “In the distant past young women who were virgins wore trousers. Those who were not virgins wore dresses. That doesn’t hold true anymore, but the expression is still there in the language.” (Source: Don Slager)

The term in Djimini Senoufo is katogo jo — “village-dance-woman” (women who have been promised but who are still allowed to go to dances with unmarried women). (Source: Übersetzung heute 3/1995)

In Igbo translations, typically a newly-created, multi-word phrase is used that very explicitly states that there has not been any sexual relations and that translates as “a woman (or: maiden) who does not know a man.” This is in spite of the fact that there is a term (agb͕ọghọ) that means “young woman” and has the connotation of her not having had sexual relations (this is for instance used by the Standard Igbo Bible of the Bible Society of Nigeria for Isaiah 7:14). Incidentally, the euphemistic expression “know” (ma in Igbo) for “having sex” has become a well-known euphemism outside of Bible translation. (Source: Uchenna Oyali in Sociolinguistic Studies Vol. 17 No. 1-3 (2023): Special Issue: Gender and sexuality in African discourses )

In Chichewa, it is translated as namwali which is used to refer to a girl who has reached puberty stage and is ready to get married. Apart from the physical aspect, the word also has social implications in the sense that it is used to recognize the fact that the girl has become responsible enough to make informed decisions and take care of herself and others. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

See also virgins (Revelation 14:4) and complete verse (Matthew 1:23).

harem

The Hebrew that is translated as “harem” in English is translated in North Alaskan Inupiatun as relating to a group of women rather than a place (source: Robert Bascom), whereas in Kwere it is translated as “the house of the women/wives of the king.” (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

mercy

The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin terms that are typically translated as “mercy” (or “compassion” or “kindness”) in English are translated in various ways. Bratcher / Nida classify them in (1) those based on the quality of heart, or other psychological center, (2) those which introduce the concept of weeping or extreme sorrow, (3) those which involve willingness to look upon and recognize the condition of others, or (4) those which involve a variety of intense feelings.

While the English mercy originates from the Latin merces, originally “price paid,” Romance languages (Italian, Spanish, Corsican, Catalan, Friulian) and other Germanic languages (German, Swedish, DanishBarmherzigkeit, barmhärtighet and barmhjertighed, respectively) tend to follow the Latin misericordia, lit. “misery-heart.”

Here are some other (back-) translations:

See also steadfast love and Seat of the Mind / Seat of Emotions.

fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Esther 2:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Esther 2:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “Hegai was impressed with/happy with Esther and treated her more than the other girls. He quickly gave her things for beautifying and fed her with good food which had been cooked in a good/special way. Hegai again gave Esther seven girls who were the king’s maids so they could do for her work. He then separated Esther from the other girls and made her stay with those her maids in the inner room which was very good in that house of the women.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Seeing Esther, Hegai was very pleased with her and Esther received many favors from him. Like this, having done grooming for Esther, he brought special food and grooming materials (cosmetics). Esther was kept in the most beautiful part of the royal palace harem, and he sent seven maid servants chosen in the royal palace to do her grooming.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Hegay was-pleased with Ester, and his treatment of her was good/well. He then gave Ester food and needs for becoming-beautiful. He also gave her seven female servants from the king’s palace itself, and had- her and her servants -lived in the best/nicest room.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru: “Esther pleased Hegai, and he felt favor toward her. So he cared for her and had them massage her body so that it would become even more beautiful. He gave Esther to eat food more delicious than he gave the other, and he gave her to live in a place that was more beautiful than that of the other women. And he gave her seven women to become her servants.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • English: “Hegai was very pleased with Esther, and he treated her well. He immediately arranged for her to be given ointments to make her even more beautiful, and he ordered that special food would be given to her. He arranged that seven maids from the king’s palace would take care of her, and arranged that she/they would stay in the best rooms.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

king

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 Esther 2:9   

The maiden who pleased Hegai is Esther (see Good News Translation). The sense seems to be that Esther pleased Hegai more than the other virgins pleased him. Consistent with his style, the writer expresses the same idea two different ways, first saying that she was “pleasing [good] in his eyes,” and secondly that she “won favor [chesed] before him” (compare Dan 1.9). The first probably emphasizes the fact that Hegai liked her; the second, that he acted kindly toward her.

On her ointments see comments on 2.3.

Portion of food: literally “her portions,” which in this context means the food that was especially prepared for her (see also comments on 9.19). Good News Translation, using contemporary language, says “special diet” (compare Traduction œcuménique de la Bible: “her diet”). Another way of expressing this idea may be to say “her own food,” or perhaps “food cooked for her.”

Seven chosen maids: the number seven occurs frequently in the book of Esther (see comment on 1.5). The Hebrew says literally “with the seven maids selected to give to her from the king’s palace.” The presence of the definite article with seven maids may suggest that each of the virgins was assigned seven maids to care for her. If this interpretation is correct, then the addition of the word “specially” before the word “chosen” in Good News Translation is misleading (see also New Jerusalem Bible and Revised English Bible). The New Jerusalem Bible translation is preferable: “as well as with the seven maids who were her due from the king’s palace.”

The best place in the harem: literally “the good of the house of the women.” The meaning is most likely that they were given the best place to live. La Bible du Semeur says “the best apartment of the harem,” understanding the Hebrew as a reference to physical location within the building. Revised English Bible, however, says “favourable treatment in the women’s quarters,” taking the words as a reference to how Esther and her maids were treated (see comments on Septuagint at ESG 2.9). In many languages the superlative idea is expressed by implied exclusiveness; for example, “the very good one of the places of the women,” while in other languages it is stated explicitly, “the place that is the good one surpass all the other places of the women.”

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 .