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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 Esther 3:12   

Then: see comment on 2.2.

The king’s secretaries were summoned: though the verb “to call” is passive, it is possible that Haman is the implicit agent. Good News Translation makes this explicit: “Haman called the king’s secretaries.” The secretaries were probably scribes who were responsible for writing official correspondence. Here they wrote under Haman’s authority or according to his instructions. For secretaries it may be necessary to say “writers” or “writers of letters.”

On the first month see 3.7.

Edict: this is the first of three official edicts recorded in the book (see also 8.9; 9.14), but the text says simply that “it was written all as Haman commanded [or, ordered].” In verse 14 below, what was written will be specifically identified as a dat “law, edict” (see also 9.14).

The satraps, governors, and princes of all the peoples are mentioned in order of rank (see 1.1). The satraps were responsible for the large administrative units called “satrapies,” the governors ruled over the provinces, and the princes were ethnarchs or tribal chieftains.

In its own script … in its own language: see comments on 1.22. Script is the “symbols [marks]” used in writing or the “way” of writing of each people.

On the expression in the name of, see comments on 2.22.

On sealed with the king’s ring, see the comments on verse 10 above.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Esther 3:12

3:12a

royal scribes: These were men whose job was to write the letters and documents the king told them to write.

3:12b

satraps: This is another word for government officials.

officials: This is the same word as 1:3a, but here it is best translated as “leaders” or “chiefs.”

3:12c

script: See note on 1:22b.

3:12d

in the name of King Xerxes: This means that they wrote the letters with the king’s full authority.

3:12e

sealed with the royal signet ring: When people finished writing a document, they then rolled it up and covered the end of the paper with wax. The king then stamped it with his seal, that is, he pressed the wax with the special ring on one of his fingers. This made a design on the wax and showed that the letter was authorized by the king.

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