fit to be a queen

In Gbaya, the notion of someone fit to be a queen is emphasized in Ezekiel 16:13 with gɛ́ɗɛ́ŋ, an ideophone that describes the character of being quiet, calm, peaceful without making noise or commotion (precisely what a princess should be).

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

fat, oil

The different Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “(olive) oil” and “(animal) fat” in English are translated in Kwere with only one term: mavuta. (Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Ezekiel 16:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 16:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “I decorated you with things of gold and silver. You dressed in woven clothes that were ornamented beautifully and were soft. Your food was made from finely ground flour, honey and olive oil. You were very beautiful and you became a daughter of a king!” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Therefore I caused- you -to-become-beautiful with gold and silver. Your clothes were linen and embroidered silk, and your food was from a fine kind of flour, honey, and olive oil. You are very pretty, and as-if you are a queen.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So it was as though you wore gold and silver ornaments. You had clothes made from fine linen/white cloth and other expensive embroidered material/cloth. You ate bread made from fine flour, honey, and olive oil. You became very beautiful, like a queen.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 16:13

Thus you were decked with gold and silver; and your raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and embroidered cloth: This first half of the verse summarizes the expensive jewelry and beautiful clothing that God gave to the girl. You were decked with gold and silver refers to the beautiful jewelry she wore. Decked renders the same Hebrew verb that occurs at the beginning of verse 11 (see the comments there). Many versions render this verb as “adorned” (New Revised Standard Version, New King James Version , New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). For those languages that cannot use the passive voice here, Good News Translation provides a helpful model for the first clause of this verse, saying “You had ornaments of gold and silver,” and so does Contemporary English Version with “Your jewelry was gold and silver.” Another possible model is “Thus you were wearing gold and silver [or, jewelry of gold and silver].” If readers are not familiar with gold and silver, translators may say “very expensive metals.” Raiment may be rendered “clothes” (Good News Translation). For fine linen, silk and embroidered cloth, see the comments on verse 10.

You ate fine flour and honey and oil: Not only did the girl wear beautiful clothes and expensive jewelry, she also ate the best food. Some of her food was bread made from fine flour, that is, “the best flour” (Good News Translation), which was made from wheat. Although it was not very finely ground, it was considered the best type of flour (compare Lev 2.1-2). She also ate honey (see 3.3) and olive oil (see Ezek 16.9). For “olive oil” in lands where olive trees don’t grow, translators may say “oil from the olive fruit” or “food made with the best oil.” However, if translators have trouble finding corresponding terminology for the three types of food in this clause, it may be rendered simply “you ate the best food.”

You grew exceedingly beautiful: Many translations follow Revised Standard Version here by saying the girl became very beautiful (so New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Moffatt, Bible en français courant). However, New Century Version follows the Hebrew more closely, saying “You were very beautiful” (similarly Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, King James Version / New King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New American Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The difference in meaning is very small, and translators may follow the requirements of the discourse structure of their own language in making their choice.

And came to regal estate: Because of her beauty and the gifts that God had given to her, the girl’s new position in life was equal to that of a queen. Good News Translation says “and you became a queen,” and New Revised Standard Version has “fit to be a queen.” If the idea of “queen” is not known in a culture, this clause may be rendered “and you became fit to be a ruler,” which is actually closer to the Hebrew.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .