hate

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “hate” or a form thereof is translated in Tabasco Chontal as “don’t want to see [the person who is hated].” (Source: John Beekman & Harwood Hess in Notes on Translation, March 1963, p. 1ff.)

See also hate.

enemy / foe

The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the Hausa Common 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)

complete verse (Esther 9:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Esther 9:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then/Later the thirteenth day of the twelfth month came/arrived. That was the month which had been prepared for those things which Haman wrote plus those that Mordecai wrote later to be fulfilled. The enemies of the Jews had decided that that day was when they would destroy them, but things turned against the enemies.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the day came to implement the king’s decree. On that day the enemies of the Jews hoped to bring them under their power. But just the opposite happened — those who hated the Jews were brought under their power.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Now, the 13th day of the 12th month, which is the month of Adar had-arrived already. This is now the day that the decree of the king will-be-put-into-effect. On this day the enemies of the Jews were-hoping that they can destroy the Jews. But what had-happened was the opposite; the enemies were-particularly the ones-defeated by the Jews.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru: “Then came the 13th day of Adar, the day when people could do according to the kings writing from before. On that day, the people who hated the Jews were hoping to destroy the Jews. But the Jews were stronger that those people.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • English: “The first law that the king had commanded was to be made effective on March 7th. On that day the enemies of the Jews hoped to get rid of them. But instead, on that same day the Jews defeated their enemies.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, 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).

SIL Translator’s Notes on Esther 9:1

Section 9:1–19

The Jews killed their enemies

When the chosen day arrived, the Jews organized themselves, fought their enemies, and killed many of them. Then Esther begged the king to allow the Jews in Susa to fight their enemies again on the following day. He agreed. After that the Jews celebrated.

Paragraph 9:1–4

9:1a

Adar: See note on 3:7d.

edict: See note on 1:20a.

9:1c

their plan was overturned: This means that the opposite happened. The Jews defeated their enemies, instead of their enemies defeating them.

overpowered: This means “gained control over, got them in their power.” This is the same verb in Hebrew as the Berean Standard Bible translated “overpower” in 9:1b.

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