complete verse (Esther 3:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Esther 3:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “That information in those letters should be announced to the people in all the one hundred twenty seven provinces so that when that day reaches, they are ready to do the thing that is required.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “It had been written in that letter it was proclaimed that the people of all provinces must be ready before that day came.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “At the king’s command the messengers went and they gave each province a copy of that-particular command/decree, and it was-proclaimed to the people so-that they can-prepare on the day that all the Jews will-be-killed. This command/decree was- also -proclaimed in the stoned-wall city of Susa. The king and Haman sat-down to drink while the people in Susa were-wondering what was-happening.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru: “This proclamation went throughout the country so everyone would prepare for that day to come.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • English: “The king also commanded that copies of these letters should be nailed up where all the people could see them, in every province, so that the people would be ready to do on the day the king had set what was written in the letter.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Esther 3:14   

A copy of the document: this may be restated as Good News Translation has done, to specify “the contents of the proclamation.” The word translated copy is a Persian word (see introduction, “Translating the Book of Esther,” B-4, pages 7 and following).

Document: a synonym for “letters” in verse 13 above is used here. It is again what was written, and it contains the decree dat, the “law [edict]” that is being proclaimed throughout the empire, in every province (literally “in every province and province”).

Issued as a decree: the meaning is that this document was to become a law to be obeyed. New International Version says “was to be issued as law.” Good News Translation seems to lack this part of the meaning in this verse.

By proclamation renders a verb whose basic meaning is “to be open,” or “to uncover.” Usually this involves both seeing and hearing. The translation “to be publicly displayed” (Revised English Bible) expresses the element of seeing but fails to indicate the hearing element. Other translations use a general term such as “communicated to all the peoples” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) or “made known” (New Century Version), without indicating the form of the communication. Translators should, however, attempt to express that this decree will be seen and heard, that is, “a copy of the document was to be read and publicly displayed as a decree in every single province to all the peoples….” Or “The text of the document was to be issued as a law. It was to be read aloud in every single province, and it was to be publicly displayed to all the peoples so that they may read it and be ready when that day came.” Languages that have a special verb for announcing official decrees or messages should use that verb for the public reading that is referred to here.

The people were to be ready for that day, that is, the thirteenth of Adar (see verse 13 above). It may be necessary to make explicit what the people were to be ready for as specified in the preceding verse. Some languages may use an idiom, “they were to fix themselves” or “they were to be on their feet,” meaning they were to be ready.

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 .