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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 7:9   

Good News Translation has slightly restructured the last part of verse 8 and the beginning of verse 9. Though the Hebrew introduces the eunuchs in verse 9, Good News Translation makes their presence explicit in verse 8 by indicating that it was the eunuchs who covered Haman’s head. It should be noted that verse 8 does not have an explicit subject for the verb “covered,” but Good News Translation (also Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) is probably correct in assuming that these eunuchs were the persons who covered Haman’s face.

On eunuch see comments on 1.10. The Hebrew says that Harbona was one of the eunuchs who served the king, but Good News Translation says only “the eunuchs” (see verse 8), without stating whether they served the king or the queen. Translators should maintain the information that these were the eunuchs who served the king, and not those who served the queen.

Moreover: not only was Haman guilty of apparently making improper sexual advances toward the queen, he was Moreover guilty of trying to kill the very person who had saved the king’s life (see 2.21-23). Though many translations omit any word or expression that corresponds to Moreover (Revised Standard Version) or “even went so far as” (Good News Translation), the Hebrew word, which means “too, also,” shows that Harbona is providing the king with another reason why Haman should be executed (see Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). This adverb is followed by hinneh (see comments on 6.5), which emphatically introduces the information that Harbona will offer.

The translation of Revised Standard Version, the gallows … is standing in Haman’s house, fifty cubits high may seem to suggest that the gallows was inside the house. Good News Translation more correctly translates “at his house.”

On the gallows see comment on 2.23; on fifty cubits high see 5.14.

The words for Mordecai mean “in order to kill Mordecai.”

Whose word saved the king: this of course is a reference to 2.21-23. Revised Standard Version restates the original, while Good News Translation interprets in idiomatic language. Chouraqui translates quite literally, “who spoke for the good of the king.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible says “whose word was so useful to the king.”

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 7:9

7:9b

gallows: See note on 2:23b.

7:9c

gave the report that saved the king: This refers to when Mordecai told the king about the plot to kill him and so saved his life. See 2:21–23.

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