complete verse (Esther 9:18)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Esther 9:18:

  • Kupsabiny: “But the Jews in Susa city/town continued with the war/battle. They killed their enemies begining from the thirteenth day up to the fourteenth day. But on the fifteenth day they rested and ate/celebrated (a) feast with happiness.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The Jews of Susa, however, all gathered in one place the 13th and 14th day of that month. And on the 14th day they rested. That day was a day for a family festival and rejoicing.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “(But at Susa on-the-other-hand, two days were the killing of the Jews of their enemies, on the 13th and 14th days. And on the 15th day, they rested and celebrated a feast with joy/gladness.)” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru: “But the Jews in Susa, they rested on the 15th day, because on the 13th and the 14th they were killing their enemies. And they stopped on the fifteen day.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • English: “After the Jews in Susa gathered together and killed their enemies on March 7th and 8th, they rested and celebrated on March 9th.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Esther 9:18   

This verse is complementary to the preceding two verses. This relationship is made clear in the original text by the repetition of key elements. Gathered here means, as in 9.16, “gathered to defend their lives.” Making that a day of feasting and gladness here refers to the fifteenth of Adar.

Although Good News Translation‘s restructuring may provide greater clarity than Revised Standard Version‘s more literal translation, it may not be entirely fair to the author’s style of repetition and parallelism. Another way to achieve the same clarity is to say “But the Jews who were in Susa had gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth day, and they [for their part] rested on the fifteenth day, and they made that a day of feasting and gladness.”

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 9:18

9:18b

they rested: See note on 9:17b.

9:18c

making it a day of feasting and joy: This is a repeat of 9:17c.

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