self-referencing pronoun for king or queen

In Malay, the pronoun beta for the royal “I” (or “my” or “me”) that is used by royals when speaking to people of lower rank, subordinates or commoners to refer to themselves in these verses. This reflects the “language of the court because the monarchy and sultanate in Malaysia are still alive and well. All oral and printed literature (including newspapers and magazines) preserve and glorify the language of the court. Considering that the language of the court is part of the Malaysian language, court language is used sparingly where appropriate, specifically with texts relating to palace life.” (Source: Daud Soesilo in The Bible Translator 2025, p. 263ff.)

complete verse (Ezra 4:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezra 4:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “I gave an order/authority to investigate those words and it was found that this city has been opposing the rulers since long ago and they are seriously refusing/rebelling.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I gave the command to search and I came to know that even from ancient times Jerusalem has revolted in opposition to the authority of the king, and it is full of those who do rebellion and disorder.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I commanded to examine the records, and it was proven true that from time-past the residents of Jerusalem were opposing the kings. It is/was a custom already the doings of that place to rebel against the government.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “So then I ordered my officials to search the records. I have found out that it is true that the people of that city have always revolted against their rulers, and that the city is full of people who have rebelled and caused trouble.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

king

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).

Translation commentary on Ezra 4:19

I made a decree: This is literally “from me was issued decree.” The king uses a formal style in his letter, but he refers to himself in the first person singular. In many languages it will be necessary to use a special royal style for the king’s letter (see the comments at Ezra 1.2). This may be done by using first person plural reference or third person singular or plural reference for the king. There may also be honorifics that refer to the king.

The king made a decree to find the records about Jerusalem. The content of the decree is not stated; it is only implied. A decree is a command or an order for something to be done. A decree issued by a Persian king was irrevocable (Dan 6.8; Est 1.19).

Search has been made, and it has been found …: The king’s letter uses the same verbs “to search” and “to find” that were used in the request in the first letter (verse 15). And what was found was what was predicted in the first letter. From time immemorial this city had risen up against kings and it had been a place of rebellion and sedition (see verse 15).

Translators should retain the repetition of terms in the king’s letter from the first letter as much as possible. Nouns, adjectives and verbs may all be formed from the same base forms in Aramaic, and where the receptor language can do a similar thing, it should be done. The repetition is an intentional device used by the author to give cohesion to the account. It also provides emphasis and literary beauty in the narrative.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Ezra. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Ezra 4:19

4:19a I issued a decree, and a search was conducted.

Then I gave the command that the record books be searched.
-or-
So I ordered my officials/servants to look in the ⌊old⌋ record books ⌊of the kingdom⌋.

4:19b It was discovered that this city has revolted against kings from ancient times,

They discovered that from ancient/past times this city has often risen up against kings/chiefs.
-or-
When they looked in the books,⌋ they found that ⌊as you (plur.) said,⌋ many times in the past ⌊the people of⌋ Jerusalem city rebelled against kings/rulers.

4:19c engaging in rebellion and sedition.

It is a city where revolts happen, a city that likes to rebel.
-or-
They also found that they⌋ provoked trouble for kings/rulers and would not submit to them.

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