silence

In Gbaya, the notion of absolute silence in the referenced verses is emphasized with the ideophone sélélé.

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

See also oppressed and silence.

complete verse (Isaiah 36:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Isaiah 36:21:

  • Kupsabiny: “But those people kept quiet completely, because king Hezekiah has said, ‘No one should answer a word.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “But all the people remained silent and gave no response at all, for the king had given commanded like that, "Do not answer him."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But the people did- not -reply, for King Hezekia has-commanded that they should- not -reply.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)

king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, 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 Isaiah 36:21

But they were silent and answered him not a word: But renders the common Hebrew conjunction, which is literally “And.” Here it expresses contrast since we would expect some kind of verbal response to the Assyrian ambassador. New Jerusalem Bible uses “however.” The pronoun they may refer to the people of Jerusalem standing on the wall (so Good News Translation, New International Version, Revised English Bible, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), but it more likely points to Hezekiah’s officials (so Contemporary English Version). Since there is a major shift in scene here, it may be helpful to clarify who is in view here by saying “Hezekiah’s officials.” Were silent is parallel to answered him not a word. The combination of these positive and negative expressions emphasizes the refusal of the three officials to respond to the arrogant challenge made by the Assyrian king through his ambassador.

For the king’s command was, “Do not answer him”: The connector for introduces the reason for their silence. Earlier, Hezekiah had ordered them not to answer the Assyrian ambassador. With the shift in scene here, it may also be helpful to render the king as “King Hezekiah” (so Good News Translation). Hebrew uses a direct quote for the king’s command. Some languages may prefer indirect speech, as in Good News Translation (see also the second example below).

Several examples for this verse are:

• However, the officials of Judah remained silent, saying nothing, because King Hezekiah’s command was “Do not answer him.”

• But King Hezekiah’s officials kept quiet and did not say a word since he had told them not to answer.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .