13A copy of the writ was to be issued as a decree in every province and published to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take revenge on their enemies.
The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the HausaCommon Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).
In Cherokee it is either translated as “the one(s) who reprimand(s) you” or “the one(s) feared.” (Source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 47)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Esther 8:13:
Kupsabiny: “The information in those letters was to be sent/supposed to reach every province in that country so that everybody could hear (it) and it became a word of power. It was supposed to be done like that so that when that day reaches, the Jews would be prepared to defend themselves.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “One copy of this letter was issued as a decree in every province and was proclaimed to all people. In this decree it was also written that on that day the Jews should be ready to take revenge on their enemies.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “This letter will-be-sent as a command to every province, and will-be-proclaimed to all people, so-that the Jews will-be-ready to take-revenge against their enemies on that day.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Eastern Bru: “This law they proclaimed for every person in every country to know, on that day the Jews were allowed to fight back against those who wanted to kill them.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
English: “Copies of this law were to be nailed to posts in every province and read to all the people, in order that the Jews would be ready to get revenge on/fight against their enemies on March 7th.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
In the Hebrew version the first half of this verse is identical to 3.14, but the second half makes a dramatic shift. In this instance it is not all peoples who are to be ready to kill, but the Jews who are to be ready to protect themselves.
On the word copy see the comment at 3.14. Decree translates the Hebrew dat, the standard term for “law” in the book of Esther (compare Good News Translation; see comment on 1.8).
By proclamation: see the comments on this same Hebrew term in 3.14.
To all peoples is translated as “to the people of every nationality” in New International Version, and “the people of every nation living in the kingdom” in New Century Version. Good News Translation simplifies too much by saying “everyone,” and loses some of the emphasis on the diverse nationalities.
The concept of vengeance (to avenge themselves) is sometimes difficult to translate. The basic meaning is to take retribution for a wrong committed, to repay an evil done to someone. In this instance the Jews have enemies who wish to harm them, and in this verse they are told that they can defend themselves when they are attacked. The translator may say “to pay back,” or there may be an appropriate idiom such as “to return hand to their enemies.”
Enemies: for comment on “enemy” see 3.10.
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 .
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