village

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “village” or “town” in English is translated in Noongar as karlamaya or “fire (used for “home“) + houses” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In Elhomwe it is typically translated as “place.” “Here in Malawi, villages very small, so changed to ‘places,’ since not sure whether biblical reference just to small villages or also to bigger towns. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Esther 9:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Esther 9:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “So, since that time to now, the Jews who live in villages still rest on the fourteenth day in the twelfth month and celebrate (a) feast. This day is a day of happiness in/for the Jews when they eat/share things together.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “So the Jews who lived in distant villages celebrated a family festival and rejoiced on the 14th day of the month of Adar. And on that day, they gave gifts to one another.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “That is why the Jews who lives in the barrios celebrate a feast on each of the 14th day of the month of Adar. On that day they give- gift -to-each-other.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru: “So the Jews in small villages, they kept the 24th day to rest and feast. That day they gave gifts to each other.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • English: “That is why every year, on March 8th, the Jews who live in villages now celebrate defeating their enemies. They have feasts and give gifts of food to each other.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Esther 9:19   

The Hebrew word translated as villages in Revised Standard Version is actually a noun that refers to people who live in open settlements, that is, “villagers.” The very same Hebrew word is used with “towns” to mean open towns that have no protective walls around them: (Anchor Bible “Jewish villagers who are living in unwalled towns”; FOX “village Jews, living in unwalled towns”). A translation such as open towns (Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, Gordis) will have no meaning in many languages. Though the words “small towns” correctly preserve one aspect of the meaning, they fail to preserve the cultural fact that larger towns were often surrounded by walls for protection, while smaller isolated villages were not. Revised English Bible correctly focuses on the aspect of being remote and isolated: “Jews in the countryside who live in remote villages” (similarly Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Biblia Dios Habla Hoy preserves both the meaning that these were “small towns” and that they were unwalled: “the Jews who live in towns and villages that don’t have walls.” Another model may be “Jews who live in the rural areas in remote unprotected villages.”

A day for gladness and feasting and holiday-making: in this verse the special day is described as it had been previously (see 8.16, 17 above), although the descriptive features are reversed in order. However, the author does not merely repeat. He emphasizes the special nature of the day by providing an additional detail. It is also a “good day,” frequently translated as a “holiday,” a day when special gifts are given to one another.

The sending of choice portions to one another during festivals was a customary practice (see 1 Sam 1.4; Neh 8.10). The choice portions were portions of food. The same Hebrew word for choice portions is translated as “portion of food” in 2.9. In this context it may be best to follow Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, and New American Bible, which say “gifts of food.” The word “presents” as in New Jerusalem Bible and New International Version is too general and suggests gifts other than food.

One another: the Hebrew is literally “each to his fellow, his companion, his neighbor.” It may be translated “to one another, to each other,” or by a verb form that expresses reciprocal action.

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 .