1In the eighteenth year, on the twenty-second day of the first month, there was talk in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, about carrying out his revenge on the whole region, just as he had said.
The term that is transliterated as “Nebuchadnezzar” in English is translated in American Sign Language with the signs for “king” and one signifying a wavy beard, referring to the common way of wearing a beard in Mesopotamia (see here ). (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Nebuchadnezzar” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign depicting “idol in my image,” referring to Daniel 3:1. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
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:
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 If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior.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.”
In the eighteenth year, on the twenty-second day of the month: In Jer 32.1 there is a reference to the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar (King of Babylon in that book), in which he lays siege to Jerusalem. The first month of the year would have been Nissan in the Jewish calendar. It falls in early spring, “when kings go forth to battle” (2 Sam 11.1).
There was talk in the palace: There is only talk or discussion in the palace at this time about revenge. The actual decision to exact revenge is not made until verse 3. Good News Translation is anticipating the decision in verse 1. New Jerusalem Bible interprets this talk as a “rumor,” but in light of what actually happens in verse 2, it is more likely to have been a conference: “a conference was held in the palace…” or “Nebuchadnezzar and his advisors held a conference in the palace….” If Nebuchadnezzar’s plan was really “secret,” as said in verse 2, there should not have been a rumor about it.
About carrying out his revenge on the whole region: For revenge see 1.12. The whole region is, as Good News Translation amplifies, “all those countries that had refused to help him.” They are listed in 1.7-10.
Just as he had said: Contemporary English Version includes this earlier in the verse with “he and his officials decided to keep his promise [our underlining] and take revenge on….”
Since this is the first verse of a new chapter, the translator should consider connecting it with the text of the previous chapter in some way. It is possible to do this by reordering the clauses as follows:
• Nebuchadnezzar had made a solemn promise [or, vow] to take revenge on all those countries that had refused to help him fight against Arphaxad. So in the eighteenth year that he ruled Assyria, on the twenty-second day of the first month of that year, he and his advisors met in the palace to discuss what they should do.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Judith. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.
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