king

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 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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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 60:10

In this verse the LORD continues to make promises to Jerusalem. Again the prophet uses first person pronouns to convey what the LORD said. Good News Translation and Bible en français courant keep these pronouns, but also make it clear that the LORD is speaking. Good News Translation begins with “The LORD says to Jerusalem,” identifying both the speaker and the addressees. In languages where it is difficult to have someone address a city as if it were a person, some adjustments will need to be made; for example, the beginning of this verse may be rendered “The LORD says to the people of Jerusalem, ‘Foreigners will rebuild the walls of your city….’”

Foreigners shall build up your walls continues the theme of the foreign nations playing a key role in rebuilding Judah. It follows the principle of reversal that occurred before in 49.19-23 and elsewhere. The nations once destroyed Israel; now they will rebuild it. This assurance goes further than Second Isaiah’s vision in 49.17. For Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version your walls refers to the walls of Jerusalem only, but the walls of the other cities of Judah may be in view here also. The walls are the walls that surround and protect the towns (see the comments on 2.15).

And their kings shall minister to you introduces the theme of foreign kings that marks this subsection (see also verses 11 and 16). Minister renders the same Hebrew verb as in verse 7. Its sense there is that the animals will offer themselves as sacrifice to God, but here it means they will serve God’s people. Bible en français courant renders this line as “their kings will be at your service.”

For in my wrath I smote you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you: The Hebrew particle ki rendered for is a logical connector here. My wrath refers to God’s anger in response to the Judah’s sin (compare 51.17, 20, 22; 54.8). The Hebrew verb rendered smote means “to hit/strike.” It is used figuratively here, meaning “to [severely] punish” (so Good News Translation); in this context it refers to God sending his people into exile. In my wrath is balanced by the phrase in my favor in the following line, contrasting God’s differing responses. The exile was an expression of God’s wrath; the people’s return and future blessing are expressions of God’s favor. The Hebrew word for favor is the same one rendered “acceptance” in verse 7. Here it denotes God’s goodwill toward his people. New Jerusalem Bible renders it “mercy.” I have had mercy on you contrasts with I smote you. For the Hebrew verb rendered have had mercy, see the comments on 14.1, where it is translated “have compassion.” The Hebrew verbs for smote and have had mercy are both in the perfect form. They can both refer to past actions, or have had mercy could point to a future event that is certain (so Good News Translation). A future tense for the second verb fits the context well, since the future tense is used in verses 10a and 11. For these two lines Bible en français courant has “I had struck you, indeed, I was very angry. But I take pleasure now in showing you my love.”

Translation examples for this verse are:

• Foreigners will rebuild your [town] walls,
foreign kings will serve you;
for in my anger I sent you away,
but now I delight in having mercy on you.

• Foreign workers will rebuild your walls,
their rulers will serve you;
for though in anger I sent you away,
in mercy I will show you my favor.

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 .